One of the worst serial killers of all time was arrested in Russia on November 20, 1990.

Over a 12-year span, Andrei Chikatilo murdered at least 52 women and children in the Soviet Union.

Chikatilo, a former teacher fired after facing several molestation complaints, would lure and kill his victims as he travelled across the USSR.

After four victims were linked in 1983, specialist investigators were tasked with finding the killer.

One of the worst serial killers of all time, Andrei Chikatilo, was arrested in Russia on November 20, 1990. (AP)

But in his role as a buying clerk, Chikatilo would travel around the country, making it difficult to pinpoint where he was.

Using heavy-handed tactics, police were able to elicit confessions from several intellectually disabled young men.

But those men would be released after the killings continued while they were in custody.

Police claimed in the hunt for the so-called Red Ripper, 95 unrelated murders and 245 rapes were solved.

While many of the crimes happened all over the Soviet Union, detectives realised they were happening within direct rail connection to the city of Rostov.

And many of the recent cases were happening within close proximity to train stations in the Rostov area.

Nearly all train stations in Rostov would be conspicuously patrolled by more than 300 uniformed police officers.

But three others would be left unguarded – or so it seemed.

Instead, plain-clothed officers would linger at the station to watch for anything suspicious.

That suspicious activity was Chikatilo washing his hands and face at a well. He had grass and soil stains on his clothes and a deep wound on his finger.

Police had no formal reason to arrest Chikatilo, but when a decomposing body was found near the station a week later, they put him under surveillance, before arresting him.

One of the worst serial killers of all time, Andrei Chikatilo, was arrested in Russia on November 20, 1990. (Nine Archives)

During their interrogation, Chikatilo was read extracts from the 65-page psychological profile compiled of the killer before his arrest.

He confessed to 36 of the 38 suspected murders he was linked to. He then made detectives aware of several other victims they had not found.

He was sentenced to death on October 15, 1993.

The following February, he was executed in the typical Russian fashion – without any forewarning.

He was led into a soundproofed room and then killed by a gunshot to the back of the head.