326 criminal cases suspended because the defendants chose to sign contracts with the army

Speaking before the city council, Murmansk police chief Aleksander Talalaev said that in 2025 authorities halted investigations into 326 cases due to the mobilisation of suspects or defendants for military service. The remarks were reported by the Arctic Observer.

Of the suspended cases, 105 fall into the category of serious crimes, including murder, terrorism, rape resulting in severe harm, and large-scale economic offences.

Talalaev also stated that police measures had “prevented breaches of public order by certain groups of citizens actively opposing the introduction of the special military operation by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.” However, there have been no confirmed reports in official or media sources of either authorised or unauthorised mass anti-war protests in Murmansk during 2025.

This discrepancy raises two possible interpretations: either the claim was included for reporting purposes, or any anti-war pickets and demonstrations in the city are swiftly suppressed as soon as information about them emerges. In the latter case, it remains unclear why such actions have not been publicly reported.

Since 2024, Russian legislation has allowed individuals to avoid criminal prosecution by signing a contract with the Ministry of Defence. Earlier reporting by the Barents Observer indicated that individuals approaching police in Murmansk are informed about this option as a way to evade prosecution.

Critics warn that offenders who avoid punishment in this way and later return to civilian life may pose a significant risk to public safety. One such case, reported by the Barents Observer, involved a 2023 incident in the Karelian village of Derevyannoye. Igor Sofonov, a repeat offender who had secured his release through a defence contract, allegedly killed six people in a single night alongside an accomplice and set fire to two houses in an attempt to conceal the crime.

A study published by Novaya Gazeta Europe identified around 8,000 court verdicts mentioning defendants’ participation in the war in Ukraine. According to the research, individuals returning from the conflict are prosecuted for murder or attempted murder at roughly two-and-a-half times the rate of the average Russian citizen, and for causing grievous bodily harm at twice the rate.