Elena Lobacheva grew up in Moscow, Russia, specifically near the Vykhino metro station. There are limited public records about her early childhood or family dynamics, but her adult life revealed signs of instability. After finishing school, Lobacheva held several jobs, including working as a courier and later as an assistant accountant. However, she had a criminal record even before her involvement in the serial killings. She had received a suspended sentence for a series of thefts, a warning sign that she was already living on the edge of legality.

Described by some investigators as deeply impressionable and emotionally volatile, Lobacheva became involved in online neo-Nazi circles through the Russian social media site VKontakte. It was here that she met Pavel Voitov, the eventual ringleader of The Cleaners.

Between July 2014 and February 2015, Elena Lobacheva took part in a brutal murder spree as a member of the Russian neo-Nazi group known as The Cleaners. The gang’s targets were mostly homeless individuals, alcoholics, and vulnerable people they viewed as “parasites” on society. Under the direction of Pavel Voitov, the gang operated in Moscow and surrounding regions, carrying out vicious and overkill-style murders using knives and hammers.

Lobacheva was more than just an accomplice. She was directly involved in at least six of the murders, often joining Voitov in carrying out the stabbings or beatings. In five other cases, she acted as a lookout or silently witnessed the murders. The victims were typically lured to isolated areas with no surveillance and then attacked without warning, some stabbed dozens of times, others bludgeoned before being stabbed to death.

According to the official investigation, Lobacheva was an active participant in the murder of a man at Izmaylovsky Boulevard, where the victim sustained 15 stab wounds and 10 hammer blows. She was also involved in murders at Kuskovo (where the victim received 171 stab wounds), and Lilac Boulevard (84 stab wounds). The gang showed no hesitation or concern for getting caught, as most murders were committed in open areas at night.

Authorities arrested Lobacheva on February 19, 2015, alongside Voitov. Their residence was pinpointed using surveillance footage and mobile tracking. During the search, police found six knives, a hammer, and bloodied clothing linked to an attempted murder just days prior. She confessed quickly after being detained, admitting to her role in the killings without resistance.

During the trial, Lobacheva stood out for her odd behavior. She requested that the jury convict her, a move that shocked observers. Throughout the proceedings, she reportedly showed little to no emotion, even as graphic images of the victims were presented. Only her mother came to support her in court, no other relatives from any of the five defendants showed up. On June 21, 2017, she was found guilty by jury and deemed undeserving of leniency.

On October 23, 2017, Elena Lobacheva was sentenced to 13 years in prison by the Moscow City Court. Her sentence was far lighter than that of Voitov (who received life). She remains imprisoned.