Alexander Dudnik

Alexander Grigorievich Dudnik (; ; 6 August 1939 – 5 April 1996) was a Kazakhstani serial killer and rapist who murdered at least 3 women in and around Vishnevka between 1993 and 1994. Before committing a series of murders, Dudnik had been convicted of rape three times during the Soviet era. In 1995, he was sentenced to death, which was carried out in April 1996. Dudnik had a distinctive feature - his left leg was amputated above the knee. He was known by the nicknames the "Akmola Chikatilo", "One-Legged Maniac", "Maniac from Vishnevka" and "One-Legged Grandfather".

Early life and criminal career Alexander Grigorievich Dudnik was born on 6 August 1939, in Tselinograd (present-day Astana) to a family of special settlers, a special category of repressed population in the Soviet Union. He was the eldest child in a family of five. He spent his childhood and adolescence in a socially disadvantaged environment. During his school years, Dudnik showed no interest in studying and spent much of his free time on the streets, which, as a social and educational environment, greatly influenced the formation of his personality. At that time, Tselinograd was home to many declassed elements of society and was plagued by crime. Since most of Dudnik's acquaintances led marginal lifestyles, he fell under their influence in his teenage years and soon began a criminal career.