Prigozhin awards Order of Courage to double homicide convict recruited by Wagner Group
Konstantin Kiselev, a convicted murderer recruited by the Wagner Group from a high-security penal colony in the Mari El region, has been decorated with the state Order of Courage.
According to the former inmate’s wife, Evgeny Prigozhin personally presented the award to Kiselev — the only man in his unit of 15 who managed to survive under Ukrainian artillery fire. This achievement also got Kiselev promoted to commander.
In September 2017, Kiselev was sentenced to 9.5 years in a penal colony for a double homicide involving both murder and manslaughter. According to the investigators, Kiselev went to visit an acquaintance who took too long to open the door for him. When Kiselev finally came inside, he attacked the man who let him in, also stabbing the hostess who tried to stop the fight. She died from her wounds. Kiselev also strangled a female witness, which became the “unintentional” manslaughter change.
The Russian state Order of Courage is awarded to people who exhibited gallantry and courage in protecting the public order, fighting crime, saving others during natural disasters and catastrophes, or otherwise following the call of duty.
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