Putin responds to backlash over his pardons for murderers, rapists

The Kremlin responded Friday to backlash after Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned a high-profile murderer in exchange for his participation in the war in Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for the Russian president, explained why Vladislav Kanyus, a man convicted in the murder of his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend, was issued a pardon to fight in Ukraine. He was sentenced last July to 17 years in a maximum-security prison over the murder of Vera Pekhteleva in Kemerovo, Siberia, in 2020.