Vadim Krasikov

Vadim Nikolayevich Krasikov ( ; born 10 August 1965) is a Russian hitman who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany for assassinating the Chechen separatist Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in the city of Berlin on 23 August 2019. His case was brought back to international attention during Russia–United States negotiations that culminated in the 2024 Ankara prisoner exchange between Russia and Belarus vis-à-vis NATO. One of the prisoners involved in the exchange for Krasikov, Ilya Yashin, would condemn the fact that he was specifically freed in exchange for him due to Krasikov originally being sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Khangoshvili.

Prior to Khangoshvili's death, Krasikov had been suspected of conducting several hits within Russia. His internal passport, which he received in 2015, shows that he is under Russian state protection, and he was widely believed to have been in close contact with the Federal Security Service (FSB) since at least 2007. A day after the 2024 prisoner exchange was completed, the Russian government's spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Krasikov's affiliation with the FSB and stated that he had served as a bodyguard of Russian president Vladimir Putin as well.

Role in Russian politics

FSB ties and suspected contract killings Krasikov allegedly maintained close contact with veterans of the former FSB special forces group Vympel. According to Bellingcat, Evgeny Eroshkin is allegedly Krasikov's FSB handler. A few minutes later, the assailant fled the scene by bicycle. (Following the assassination, the Georgian ambassador in Berlin was replaced.)

Personal life From 12 December 1989 until 27 January 2004, Krasikov was married to Tatyana Ivanovna (née Paramonova) Krasikova (; born 1966, Tygda, Magdagachinsky District, Amur Oblast). They have two children: a son Maxim Vadimovich Krasikov (born 1985) and daughter Kristina Antanyan (née Krasikova, born 1988).

Krasikov married his second wife Ekaterina Aleksandrovna (née Lycheva) Krasikova (; born 1985, Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR) in 2010. They have a daughter born 2013.