Khaberni - One of the most bizarre and terrifying cases in Russia is nearing its final chapters, after local reports revealed the possibility of releasing within weeks the former historian and military intelligence translator Anatoly Moskvin, who is 59 years old and known as the "grave robber" after he dug up the graves of dozens of young girls and lived with their mummified bodies inside his home for years.
Moskvin had dug up the graves of 29 young girls, turning their bodies into mummified dolls he lived with inside his home for years, as revealed by investigations in 2011.
The police found in his home the mummified bodies of girls ranging in age from three to twelve years, dressed in elegant clothes with cosmetics applied to their faces.
Some of the bodies contained music boxes inside the chest, in a scene described as one of the most bizarre crimes in modern Russian history.
According to Russian media, psychiatrists recently submitted documents to the court to request his transfer from the psychiatric clinic to his family's home after evaluating his condition and classifying him as "legally incompetent," which means he could be placed under the supervision of his relatives instead of staying in a closed treatment facility.
The families of the victims have expressed strong opposition to this recommendation, warning that his release could lead to a recurrence of the tragedy.
Natalia Chardiemava, the mother of one of the girls whose grave was dug up by Moskvin, said she fears that the accused might return to his previous practices, asserting that she has completely lost trust in his recovery, explaining that she had been visiting her daughter's grave for years without knowing that the coffin was empty after he stole the body and turned it into a "doll".
Moskvin had confessed during investigations to grave robbing and justified his actions by saying he "brought the girls back to life and warmth after they were left in the cold," also refusing to apologize to the families of the victims, considering that "the rights of parents end after their daughters are buried".
It is noted that the historian, who previously worked as a translator in Soviet military intelligence, was known for his research in history and cemeteries and had written several academic books before his crimes were discovered.
Acquaintances of the accused noted that at earlier times he expressed a desire to marry his unidentified girlfriend and return to teaching, but the families of the victims demand that he remains under psychiatric treatment for life, considering his release from the clinic "a threat to society" and "an insult to the memory of the girls whose sanctity he violated".
