Russian Crime Boss Shakro Molodoy Freed Amid Speculations of Putin's War Loyalty
A police officer puts handcuffs on Oleg Orlov, the 70-year-old human rights campaigner and co-chair of the Nobel Prize winning Memorial group, after Orlov was sentenced to two and a half years in jail on charges of repeatedly "discrediting" the Russian army, in Moscow on February 27, 2024. (not the actual photo)
(Photo : ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)

The most notorious mafia leader in Russia was surreptitiously freed from jail four years prior, allegedly as a show of goodwill from Putin.

The 71-year-old crime lord Shakro Molodoy was released from the highest security colony when it was discovered that he had not given orders to the inmates to boycott Putin's war.

Russian Crime Boss Freed for War Loyalty

Zakhary Kalashov, the legendary boss of the Russian criminal underworld, was sentenced to a total of six years in prison in the Krasnodar area. This served as a modest reduction from his initial sentence of nine years and ten months.

It was a stealthy departure for the guy, who was driven away from the IK-2 jail in a Gazel truck that was not recognizable to everyone. While riding in a crowded limousine, the individual was escorted by a large number of bodyguards who were dressed in black.

Molodoy, whose real name is Zakhary Kalashov, is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in Russia's criminal underworld. He holds the esteemed title of "thieves in law," which is given upon highly respected individuals within organized crime circles.

The court attributed the granting of parole to the crime boss's declining health, as reports indicate that he has experienced significant vision loss during his time in jail.

The alias "gangland's Putin" was given to Molodoy as a result of the prominent role he played in the criminal underworld, a position he has served in continuously since the 1990s. An event that took place in 2016 led to his being detained on allegations that were connected to extortion and being violent.

The terrible loss of two lives occurred as a result of this occurrence, which took place during a shooting that took place at a restaurant in Moscow, according to The Sun.

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Russian Mafia Implicated in Triple Murder

The Russian mafia is responsible for the killings of Vladimir Pokhilko, his wife, and his kid, according to the findings of the investigation. He was held by highly armed FSB officials in his opulent property, which cost $25 Million, which led to discussion about Putin's fears over Sakharov's influence on the police and the Home Office.

Molodoy was known to have used a total of twenty-three distinct aliases, variation names, or pseudonyms, as indicated in official documents from the United States. He was previously convicted of money laundering and orchestrating illegal operations, and he is currently serving eight years in a jail in Spain for these offenses.

Domodedovo airport in Moscow was the location where senior law enforcement authorities greeted him with a hearty welcome when he arrived from Spain in 2014.

Former President Mikheil Saakashvili, currently serving a prison sentence for "abuse of power," suggests that Molodoy's early release may be linked to alleged interference by Putin in Georgia's politics. In response to his statement, the crime boss allegedly lost a massive 76-room palace in Tskneti, a suburb of Tbilisi, and refrained from returning to Georgia while he was in power, US Times Post reported.

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