What happened
Mikhail Popkov, a former police officer, was convicted of a long series of murders of women in Siberia, primarily around Angarsk.
The investigation
Years after the earliest crimes, renewed forensic work and large-scale DNA screening helped investigators identify Popkov. His police background had allowed him to appear trustworthy to some victims.
What the courts or investigators concluded
Russian courts convicted him in multiple proceedings for dozens of murders, making him one of the country’s most prolific convicted serial killers.
Why the case remains significant
The investigation shows how modern DNA comparison can revive geographically concentrated cold cases long after conventional leads have faded.
Case context
Crime by Region organizes cases geographically so readers can move from one file to other investigations from the same country. For unresolved or contested cases, the wording above reflects the distinction between confirmed events, investigative theories and findings actually established in court.