Mikhail Popkov "The Werewolf" Became Russia's Most Prolific Serial Killer

While hiding behind the facade of a respectable police officer, Mikhail Popkov used his authority as a shield for his ghoulish behavior

Depiction of Mikhail Popkov

Background

Mikhail Popkov, a name synonymous with terror in Siberia, wasn't your stereotypical serial killer lurking in the shadows. He was a trusted figure, a former police officer who used his badge to lure victims to their deaths.

Dubbed both “The Werewolf” and the “Angarsk Maniac” by the media, Popkov's reign of violence remains one of the most chilling chapters in Russian history.

Born in 1964, Popkov's early life remains shrouded in relative obscurity. Details suggest a seemingly ordinary upbringing in the Siberian city of Angarsk. However, beneath the surface, darkness festered. Popkov joined the police force in 1986, a career choice that would provide him with the perfect disguise for his monstrous deeds.