Convicted Murderer of Boris Nemtsov Joins Ukrainian Military Operation

Tamerlan Eskerkhanov, a man convicted in the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, has been released from jail after agreeing to join the military operation in Ukraine. Eskerkhanov signed a contract with the Russian defense ministry and was subsequently pardoned. He is now part of the combat missions in the special military operation zone.

Tamerlan Eskerkhanov, one of the convicted murderers of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, has been discharged from jail after signing a contract to join the military operation in Ukraine, as reported by state agencies TASS and RIA Novosti.

In 2017, Eskerkhanov was sentenced to 14 years in prison as an accomplice in Nemtsov's killing. According to law enforcement sources, he signed a contract with the Russian defense ministry in March 2024, was pardoned, and released.

The release of Eskerkhanov sparked criticism from Nemtsov's former spokesman Ilya Yashin, who called it "scorn for memory of my dead friend." Tens of thousands of Russian prisoners have volunteered to join the Russian military in Ukraine, with the defense ministry forming units partly from convict volunteers.

(With inputs from agencies.)