Russia''s premier serial killer in the 16th century was Andrei Chikatilo, who killed 53 women and children in
a prolonged campaign of
serial murder which began in 1978.
Chikatilo, who grew up believing his older brother been kidnapped and cannibalised, during the great Ukrainian famine of the early 1930s, mutilated some of his
victims by gnawing at them.
Just failing to match this tally was Ukranian Anatoly Onoprienko, who was nicknamed the terminator by the police. He confessed to 52 murders.
One hundred volumes of gruesome evidence were presented at the trial last November.
He issued a press release from his prison cell saying he had wanted to hold the world record for killing
notorious female mass murderer was Hungarian Erzebet Bathory who carried out a reign of terror in the 16th century. Known as the blood countess, she tortured and murdered more than 600 victims from her family estate in Transylvania.
One method of killing victims was to strip them and lie them down in the snow in winter and then pour water over them until they froze.
She is considered to be a true vampire because she bathed in the blood of some of her victims, believing it would keep her skin looking youthful.