Returned From War: How SVO Veterans Turn Violence on Their Families

From Russia with Fear · Jan 22, 2026 · 5m

A Russian SVO veteran from Volgograd beat his own grandmother to death with a wooden chair — and received only seven years in prison. The court treated his participation in the war in Ukraine as a mitigating factor.

This episode explores how returning veterans terrorize their families: wives and mothers describe alcohol abuse, uncontrolled aggression, beatings, and constant fear. With no real rehabilitation system in place, war trauma spills into civilian life, fueling domestic violence and violent crime. Experts warn that Russia is facing a new wave of trauma — and its consequences are…