A shocking case has emerged from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, where a former historian, Anatoly Moskvin, desecrated approximately 150 burial sites to create a disturbing collection of mummified remains. Authorities discovered the bodies of 29 girls and young women in his apartment in 2011, raising profound concerns about his mental state and the implications of his actions.
Moskvin, a well-educated individual proficient in 13 languages, was known locally as a historian and a self-proclaimed “necropolist.” He had dedicated much of his life to studying death rituals, often contributing to the Russian weekly publication Necrologies. Despite his scholarly facade, the reality of his actions was chilling. He exhumed the corpses of girls aged between three and twelve, preserving them using a makeshift chemical process and dressing them in various garments to resemble dolls.
The investigation revealed that Moskvin meticulously documented his activities. He created detailed records about each girl he exhumed, complete with printouts that included instructions for transforming human remains into dolls. Footage from his home, uncovered by police, displayed a disturbing scene: a corridor filled with dresses and brightly colored outfits, along with haunting images of the girls’ faces obscured beneath fabric. In one unsettling recording, Moskvin’s voice can be heard stating, “These dolls are made of mummified human remains.”
Moskvin’s obsession with death, he claims, can be traced back to a traumatic experience from his childhood. At the age of 13, he recounted an incident in which he was allegedly forced to kiss the corpse of an 11-year-old girl named Natasha Petrova by a group of men dressed in black suits. This event, he stated, haunted him throughout his life. He described it in his writings, saying, “I kissed her once, then again, then again.” Following the incident, he claimed that Natasha’s mother placed a wedding ring on his finger and one on her daughter’s hand, leading him to believe he had entered a “strange marriage” with the deceased girl.
After his arrest, Moskvin underwent psychiatric evaluation and was declared unfit to stand trial due to his mental health condition, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. He has since remained in a psychiatric facility, where he has refused to express remorse for his actions. A spokesperson for the prosecution noted that after three years of observation, it was clear that Moskvin would continue to receive treatment rather than face trial.
Recently, reports have surfaced indicating that medical professionals are considering discharging Moskvin from the psychiatric hospital. According to Shot, doctors are preparing documents to petition the court for his release, suggesting he could live under the care of relatives as an incapacitated individual. This development raises concerns about the safety of the community and the implications of his potential return.
The case of Anatoly Moskvin serves as a grim reminder of the darker aspects of human obsession and the consequences of unchecked mental illness. As discussions about his future continue, the families of the victims remain deeply affected by the tragic loss of their loved ones, forever haunted by the actions of an individual who cloaked his malevolence in the guise of scholarship.
