detailing that he had been promised 500,000 rubles ($5,418).

Fuck me, this really hammers home that first world privilege. More than that amount of USD hits my checking account each month in my direct wages. This guy knew what would happen to him when he was caught then decided that risking misery in Siberia before being executed was worth less than a month of my take home pay. I mean i get that some level of radicalization is involved here, but still what the fuck.