Vladimir Anatolyevich Mukhankin was born on April 22, 1960, in the Zernogradsky District, Rostov Oblast, which was part of the Soviet Union. He claimed that his father left his pregnant mother for another woman before he was born. Mukhankin was given his first name in honor of Vladimir Lenin, who also shared the same birthday.

During his early life, Mukhankin faced many challenges. He experienced abuse at home and was also bullied by his classmates at school. His education was limited, as he only completed seven years of schooling.

In 1995, Vladimir Anatolyevich Mukhankin committed multiple murders in Rostov Oblast, Russia. He targeted women and young girls, committing nine murders and two attempted murders primarily in the town of Shakhty. His victims suffered brutal attacks; some were stabbed or suffocated, and he sometimes tortured them before killing. After death, Mukhankin dismembered the bodies, and in some cases, he burned them.

Though rape was not a common part of his crimes, he did assault a 13-year-old girl before killing her. His actions displayed an extreme hatred for women, as he primarily chose them as victims.

On May 1, 1995, Mukhankin was arrested after he attacked a woman and her daughter. The woman was killed, but her daughter survived and reported Mukhankin to the police. Following his arrest, authorities discovered a list he had made with plans to kill 40 policemen as revenge for his time in prison.

During his court proceedings, Mukhankin showed no remorse. Initially, he claimed to admire Andrei Chikatilo, another infamous Russian serial killer. However, he later dismissed Chikatilo with disrespectful terms. In interrogation, Mukhankin acted erratically to convince police of his insanity. A psychiatric examination, however, found him to be sane and diagnosed him with psychopathy.

He was eventually found guilty of 22 crimes, including eight murders, three of which were minors. Mukhankin received the death penalty, but his sentence was later changed to life imprisonment. He is currently serving his sentence at Black Dolphin Prison in Orenburg Oblast.