Vladyslav Volkovich grew up in poverty in post-Soviet Ukraine. Unlike his future partner in crime, there are no recorded incidents of physical abuse or trauma in his early life. He was described as a quiet twin from an uneventful household, yet he was deeply focused on materialism and outward appearances.

Volkovich disliked hard work and avoided full-time employment, spending his time discussing abstract philosophy and morality with Volodymyr Kondratenko. Their conversations eventually spiraled into dark territory, sharing beliefs that morality was relative and honor was meaningless. These thoughts solidified into a shared desire to become contract killers, believing it to be an ideal job that offered both power and financial freedom.

He never pursued any legitimate career paths. Obsessed with fast money and appearances, Volkovich drifted into a life of crime.

Vladyslav Volkovich's descent into murder began in the early 1990s, when he and his close friend Volodymyr Kondratenko began experimenting with ways to make money through violence. Although they originally spoke about becoming contract killers, their real-life crimes quickly became far more opportunistic and sadistic.

The first killings were deliberately targeted at homeless men, selected because they were vulnerable and unlikely to be missed. These early murders served as practice. Volkovich and Kondratenko referred to them as trial runs, a way to “train themselves” to kill without remorse. The .22 caliber TOZ-16 rifle became their weapon of choice, concealed inside a box that one of them would carry to the scene under the pretense of needing a ride or help.

While Kondratenko usually fired the rifle, Volkovich played an active role in every attack. As the shooter fired, Volkovich would simultaneously stab the victim with sharp weapons such as awls or knives, ensuring they died quickly. Their methods were ruthless and methodical. Once the pair grew more confident, they escalated to bolder crimes, including vehicle theft and robberies, often murdering car owners to obtain their vehicles.

In 1996, their crimes became increasingly public and erratic. On June 18, 44-year-old Yevheniy Osechkin, a factory worker, was found murdered near the Karavaevi Dachi railway station in Kyiv. He had been shot with a .22 round and stabbed multiple times. No valuables were taken, ruling out robbery, and the murder weapon linked the case to a previous unsolved homicide of a homeless man in the same area.

A few weeks later, the duo struck again in broad daylight. They killed Dr. Oleksandr Yehorov, a well-known medical professional, shooting him in his vehicle in a crowded area. Witnesses described a suspect in his 30s. Less than an hour later, another man was found dead nearby, murdered in the same way. Police now began to realize that a serial killer, or possibly a team, was active.

The duo's next known victim was Oleksandr Shpack, a man who had attended a party with his girlfriend. After an argument, Shpack left with two unknown men who had crashed the event. He was found murdered shortly after, shot and stabbed like the others. Shpack’s girlfriend remembered that one of the men was named Volodymyr — a key clue that would later help investigators identify the killers.

As the months progressed, more victims followed, including a still-unidentified man killed on September 4, and Petr Gromov, who was murdered on September 28 inside his VAZ-2106. Volkovich and Kondratenko tried to steal Gromov’s car but had to abandon it nearby due to visible damage.

Another victim, Oleksandr Bykov, was found murdered in his own apartment on September 23. Uniquely, unlit matchsticks had been placed between the door and frame, signaling that the killers intended to return and wanted to check if the scene had been disturbed. Police surveillance soon led to a suspect: Volodymyr Kondratenko. He had appeared at the Bykov crime scene during the early investigation and even offered to help police and Bykov’s widow, with whom he was having an affair.

Volkovich was seen accompanying Kondratenko just days later near a marketplace. Before police could intervene, the pair committed one final act, stealing a VAZ-2102 and running over a woman while driving intoxicated. The woman became their only confirmed female victim. They were arrested shortly afterward.

During interrogation, both men confessed to over 20 murders. Volkovich, when asked about his victims, chillingly remarked that they meant “nothing” to him. He said they made him feel like “a superman.” At trial, following Kondratenko’s suicide, Volkovich attempted to pin all the blame on his dead friend, but the court found him fully responsible. In August 2000, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.