Editing Alexander Solonik (section)

=== Early life ===
Alexander Viktorovich Solonik was born on 16 October 1960, in Kurgan, Soviet Union. As a child he showed great interest in martial arts and firearms. When finishing school, Solonik was conscripted into the Soviet Army and was assigned to a tank regiment, a part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. After his conscription ended, Solonik joined the OMON police agency and eventually received training at the Gorkovskiy Institute. However, after 6 months he was expelled for extreme violence towards suspects, and upon returning home, Solonik obtained a job as a gravedigger at the Kurgan cemetery. Soon after returning to Kurgan he married, and his wife gave birth to a daughter, but they eventually divorced.<sup>[2]</sup> Solonik married another woman with whom he had a son, and in 1987 he was charged with rape and sentenced to 8 years in prison. During a farewell meeting with his wife before he was imprisoned, Solonik escaped by jumping from the second floor of the building. After several months he was apprehended 120 miles (190 km) north of Kurgan, and taken to the prison.