Vadim Krasikov was released in a recent prisoner swap between Russia and the West. Putin described him as a fearless patriot. And why wouldn’t he? A German court had convicted him of murdering Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in broad daylight on German soil. He earned the tag of “Bicycle Assassin” due to this murder. Let’s take a look at some interesting facts surrounding the case.

The world recently witnessed possibly the biggest Russia-West prisoner exchange since the Soviet Union Cold War. Russia released 16 European and American prisoners, while eight Russians were released from prisons in Slovenia, Poland, Norway, Germany, and the U.S. According to President Biden’s Deputy National Security Adviser, Jon Finer, this U.S.-Russia prisoner swap was in the making for two years.

Putin personally greeted the returning ex-prisoners at Russia’s Vnukovo airport tarmac on August 1. Vadim Krasikov was one of the people with whom he shook hands. By welcoming these foreign intelligence agents, Putin sent a message that Moscow cares for them. The government can manage to rescue them even if they are caught.

Why Was Vadim Krasikov Arrested?

The 58-year-old was sent to Germany by the FSB Russia, SVR, or a similar agency in 2019 to assassinate Zelimkhan Khangoshvili.

You would undoubtedly wish to know more about Khangoshvili. He irked Putin’s commanders when he fought against Russian troops in Chechnya. After facing several attacks in Georgia, Khangoshvili moved to Germany and was granted asylum. But he always remained on Russia’s radar. On August 23, 2019, Krasikov murdered Khangoshvili in Berlin’s Kleiner Tiergarten Park area and was arrested by German police while attempting to flee.

Was the Court Case a Straightforward One? Well, many witnesses testified against Krasikov. Investigators presented detailed documents in the German court. Evidence suggests Krasikov was riding a bicycle when he shot Khangoshvili from behind using a silencer-fitted handgun. After committing the crime, he left his bicycle, removed a dark-haired wig, and threw the wig along with the gun into the Spree River. But, he was caught while attempting to flee on an electric scooter, which presumably took longer to start than he expected.

During the trial, Krasikov maintained his innocence. His lawyers claimed he was a victim of mistaken identity. They said he was a construction engineer and worker who was in Berlin as a tourist.

Prosecutors proved his identity easily, all thanks to the demon in the detail. Yes, literally!

Krasikov’s second wife happens to be from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. He married her in 2010.  His marital ceremony videos, provided by Ukraine’s security services, clearly showed a tattoo on his body. German police and prosecutors confirmed his identity due to the tattoo, which featured a demon wearing a crown and a snake.

Based on the evidence, German judges said Krasikov belonged to Russia’s FSB, or Federal Security Service. According to the Higher Regional Court in Berlin, Russian authorities provided him with a false identity, passport, and other documents to enter Germany and carry out the murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2021.

After his trial, Russia denied any involvement in the murder and called all the claims baseless. Yet, official statements said the murdered person was responsible for carrying out killings in Russia and was bloodthirsty. They also blamed the deceased for a blast in the Moscow Metro. Slowly, they changed their stance even further. In February this year, Putin signaled his willingness to exchange Krasikov for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

The Victim’s Family Learned About the Prisoner Swap on TV

During the last week of August, France, Austria, and Germany witnessed many protest marches against the decision to release Krasikov.

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili’s wife and family members expressed their outrage. They said no one contacted them to seek their opinion before initiating the Russia-West Prisoner Exchange, and the victim’s side was not of much significance to German authorities.

Related: Germany’s ‘deal with the devil’ in Russia prisoner swap

What is the significance of the Russia-US poisoner exchange? The Biden administration did this to ease the tension between Russia and the West. But would this Russia-U.S. diplomacy impact the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war? Well, Jon Finer believes people should not reach broader conclusions based on this deal. He does not see any end to the Ukraine conflict unless Russia changes its approach.

Overall, the Russian supreme leader can go to his people and claim he has the upper hand after getting citizens back. The prisoner swap has indeed helped Putin’s political career.

Interesting stuff: Wives of Wounded Russian Soldiers Willing to Take Every Risk and Rescue Their Hubby

A column by : Nitten Gokhaley

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