Dad 'raped and killed nanny and made his terrified son, 9, watch in horror'
A Russian man accused of murdering two nannies and subjecting his nine-year-old son to horrific abuse has avoided trial by signing up to fight in Ukraine, according to reports from Moscow.
Dmitry Artamoshin, 47, faces charges of double murder, rape, violent sexual acts and drugging his victims, but has been permitted to enlist for military service under laws allowing criminal defendants to escape prosecution by joining Russia's armed forces.
Officers discovered the bodies of Maria Vlasova, 25, and Alyona Bolotova, 19, buried on Artamoshin's property in Bogorodsky, a town of approximately 9,000 residents located 60 kilometres northeast of Moscow in the Moscow Oblast region. One victim was buried seven feet deep under compost, whilst the other was concealed in a well shaft.
Law enforcement alleges that Artamoshin, dubbed the "Bogorodsky Maniac" in Russian media, recruited women through online advertisements for childcare positions before drugging, sexually assaulting and beating them. His son, now ten, provided crucial information leading investigators to the burial sites.
The boy was reportedly forced to watch the abuse and suffered physical violence if he disobeyed. Officers found him traumatised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, with visible scars and injuries across his body. He was allegedly given "bad-tasting juice" that caused him to lose consciousness, suspected to be the same drugged liquid administered to the women.
At least two other alleged victims, including Anna Terentyeva, 20, managed to flee. Terentyeva told journalists she was "between life and death three times" whilst in Artamoshin's employment, though she said he initially "made a pleasant impression." Artamoshin's wife, Polina Fomicheva, 36, also escaped, reporting violence including sexual abuse, beatings and being coerced into drug use.
Police have appealed for additional potential victims to come forward, fearing there may be more women who suffered at his hands. One of the alleged rape victims was under 18 at the time of the offences.
Prisoner recruitment programme
Despite the severity of the charges, Artamoshin has been deemed "mentally competent" to serve and has signed a contract with Russia's defence ministry. If he survives combat, he will be released as a free man.
The case highlights Russia's increasingly controversial policy of recruiting prisoners and criminal defendants to address severe manpower shortages in Ukraine. The practice began in summer 2022 when the Wagner Group mercenary organisation started offering convicts pardons in exchange for six months of combat service. Following Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin's death, the defence ministry took over the programme.
In November 2022, Russian authorities authorised the recruitment of prisoners convicted of serious crimes including murder, robbery, armed robbery and drug trafficking. The policy expanded further in June 2023 to include criminal suspects who had not yet been convicted, and was later extended to defendants whose cases were already before the courts.
Under current procedures, defendants who sign military contracts can have their criminal cases suspended at the request of a military unit or have their prosecution terminated altogether. Their criminal records can be expunged if they receive state awards for battlefield conduct.
Official guidelines stipulate that suspects accused of terrorism, espionage, treason and child sexual abuse should be excluded from the recruitment programme, though some reports suggest these restrictions are not consistently enforced.
Manpower crisis
The recruitment of serious criminals reflects Russia's mounting casualties in Ukraine. Since the February 2022 invasion, Russia's military has sustained between 1.2 million and 1.5 million total casualties, including killed and wounded, with estimates of between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths. Russia suffered approximately 415,000 casualties in 2025 alone, making it the second-deadliest year of the conflict after 2024, which saw approximately 430,000 casualties.
The policy has proved controversial within Russia itself. By February 2025, more than 750 civilians had reportedly been killed or seriously injured by veterans returning from the frontlines, many of whom had been released early through military recruitment schemes.
Financial incentives appear to drive the system's implementation. Russian police officers reportedly receive bonuses for every criminal suspect who signs a military contract, with investigators able to double their monthly income by sending just two suspects to the front.
Prior to his arrest, Artamoshin worked as a used car salesman, advertising himself as "The Great One." Reports suggest he was obsessed with numerology, particularly the number 27. Both missing women disappeared on the 27th of separate months, and his birthday falls on August 27.
Neighbours in the Zvezda gardening community expressed shock at the allegations.
We had no idea what was happening. He just looked like a normal gardener with a school-age child.
