Mikhail Popkov, 58, nicknamed 'The Werewolf' had killed 83 women, He now wants to join a controversial scheme that has seen thousands of murderers, rapists and other hardened criminals become mercenaries.
A notorious Russian rapist and serial killer, Mikhail Popkov has declared his interest to fight for Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, DailyMail has reported.
Mikhail Popkov, 58, nicknamed 'The Werewolf' had killed 83 women, He now wants to join a controversial scheme that has seen thousands of murderers, rapists and other hardened criminals become mercenaries.
President Putin has also pardoned those who fought and stayed alive for six months in the war.
The country’s prison recruitment scheme reportedly sees criminals sent out to fight with pro-Russian forces in Putin's illegal war in exchange for a pardon if they continue to fight and stay alive for six months.
Popkov, a former police officer known as 'The Werewolf' and the 'Angarsk Maniac,' murdered 83 women and is currently serving two life sentences plus nine years in prison after three separate trials.
According to a police source, his true tally is "closer to 200".
Popkov raped the majority of his victims, who ranged in age from 18 to 50, before murdering them with axes, hammers, knives, screwdrivers, and spades.
Despite this, Russian authorities allowed state television to interview him behind bars as he begged to join Putin's fighters, claiming radio-electronics experience from his time as a Red Army conscript.
He hopes to gain his freedom through the sickening Kremlin scheme that has freed up to 40,000 prisoners.
Popkov is even suddenly confessing to more murders in order to join the Wagner private army, which is led by Putin crony Yevgeny Prigozhin and is supporting the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
When asked by Russian state TV “what is your dream?”, he replied: “To join the army.”
The mass killer continued: “I would not hesitate to do so [join the war].