Russian soldier fatally stabs his ex outside entrance to women’s crisis centre

A man attacked his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child with a knife as she waited for the doors to a crisis centre for women to be opened on Thursday, stabbing her eight times and slashing her throat. The woman was rushed to a hospital, where she later died, local media outlets have reported.

According to Fontanka, Yagub Suleymanov had been abusing his girlfriend for years. He forbade her from leaving the house, a representative from an organisation that provided legal assistance to her told local TV channel 78. “She was very afraid of him. Because he really is a frightening person. He could even bring a weapon along, he worked as a security guard,” she told Ostorozhno, Novosti.

She left him in September, taking their child with her, and went into hiding. The man filed a missing person’s report with the police while continuing to search for her himself. On the day of the attack, the woman had arrived at the centre seeking help, but Suleymanov was waiting for her at the entrance.

After the attack, the man called the emergency line and explained what had happened. He was apprehended minutes later. The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case for murder committed with particular cruelty.

Suleymanov is 28 years old. Born in Azerbaijan, he holds Russian citizenship and has three children; the youngest was with the woman he had killed.

He previously served in the military in a frontline zone along the border with Ukraine, Ostorozhno, Novosti reported on Friday, citing people who know him.

According to sources, the man signed a military contract in 2022 and was deployed to one of the border regions, a move he reportedly made to earn money.

His duties involved guarding civilian facilities, including schools. He served for about a year before returning to St. Petersburg, where he took a job as a security guard..