“We won't take our eyes off him“ - Kazakhstani man released after 25 years in prison receives a new sentence

Tengrinews.kz — A 62-year-old man in Petropavlovsk, released in 2024 after serving 25 years, has received a new sentence. He was found guilty of attacking a woman and sentenced to nine years in prison.
The man in question is 62-year-old Valery Krichinevsky. In the late 1990s, he targeted women in Petropavlovsk and gained notoriety as the "Axe Maniac".
An axe and slippers made from a child’s coat
Igor Semyonov, a veteran of the law enforcement services, previously spoke to a Tengrinews.kz correspondent about the crimes committed by this man.

"One of Krichinevsky's victims was a first-grade girl. Her body was found in a forest belt on December 19, 1998. The girl was supposed to come home after school but never arrived. Her parents rushed to find her and contacted the police. While searching the forest belt, a police dog first found her satchel, then the girl's snow-covered body with a crushed skull and 13 stab wounds. She was only 400 meters from home," Semyonov, a veteran of the North Kazakhstan Region's internal affairs bodies, recounted earlier.

In addition to the murder of the seven-year-old girl, Krichinevsky was responsible for 11 violent robberies. All his victims were women aged 20 to 60. Despite their injuries, they survived.

"Krichinevsky regularly left home with an axe in a canvas bag and lay in wait for his victims on the outskirts of the city, on paths leading to dacha settlements, and on deserted streets near residential areas. He never approached his victims from the front; instead, he would sneak up from behind, strike them on the head with the butt of the axe, and then rob and rape them. During a search of Krichinevsky's home, police found gold jewelry and fur hats taken from the victims, along with a stuffed toy and slippers sewn from the fur coat of the girl he murdered. He had given these items to his wife, as he did with everything he obtained during his crimes," Igor Semyonov said.

In 1999, Krichinevsky, who had two previous convictions for theft, grand theft auto, and other offenses, was sentenced for robbery, rape, mugging, and the murder of a child to 25 years in prison. He served his full term and was released in January 2024.
Under supervision
His release caused a public outcry. Residents of Petropavlovsk feared he remained a danger to society and might attack women or children again.
Police in the North Kazakhstan Region previously reported that after his release, Krichinevsky arrived in Petropavlovsk, was placed in a Social Adaptation Center, and was registered by police under the category of "person under administrative supervision."
The court restricted his movement and established a curfew. He was prohibited from leaving the city, consuming alcohol or drugs, and visiting recreational venues. Compliance with these restrictions was monitored via an electronic bracelet.
His data was entered into the registry of sex offenders against minors. Police even stated they "would not take their eyes off him." However, in June 2024, he struck again.
"A harmless old man with the eyes of a beast"
According to case files and the victim's testimony, a 54-year-old resident of Petropavlovsk was returning home from her dacha on the city's outskirts during the day. Along the way, an elderly man called out to her, asking if she had seen a cow he was supposedly looking for. When the woman stopped, the man pinned her to the ground and began to strangle her. According to the victim, at that moment, he had "beastly" eyes.
When the attacker loosened his grip, the woman stood up and tried to run, but he caught her. It is unknown how it would have ended if the attacker had not been startled by a random passerby. While he was distracted by the man, the woman got on her bicycle and rode toward the highway. There, she flagged down a car and asked the driver to call the police.
The suspect was detained within two hours. His appearance matched the victim's description, and electronic bracelet data confirmed his location.
Photo from the courtroom by Tengrinews.kz
Krichinevsky's case was heard by the Petropavlovsk City Court behind closed doors. He was charged with attempted sexual assault involving a death threat. On September 7, Judge Takhmina Sobirova delivered the verdict.
"The court rules: Valery Evgenievich Krichinevsky is found guilty; his actions constitute a dangerous criminal recidivism. A sentence of nine years of imprisonment is imposed, to be served in a maximum-security penal institution," Judge Sobirova announced during the reading of the verdict's operative part.
It should be noted that this is the maximum possible sentence for such a crime. It is also known that the defendant did not plead guilty, insisting he merely intended to rob the woman of her money and phone.
Photo from the courtroom by Tengrinews.kz
The sentence has not yet entered into legal force.
We previously reported on the Tengri TV YouTube channel about crimes committed by Valery Krichinevsky 25 years ago.