A Ukrainian wife beheaded her husband and hacked off his penis after suffering years of domestic abuse, police say.

The suspect, identified only by the name Maria, then fed her husband's severed penis to dogs in the village of Obariv in the north of the country.

The 48-year-old woman told police 'she was suffering domestic violence for ages and murdered her husband to put an end to it' and that 'it was the only way out'.

A 48-year-old Ukrainian woman has been arrested for allegedly killing and dismembering her abusive husband as he slept after 'suffering domestic violence for ages'

The women, named only as Maria, attacked her spouse Oleksandr, 49, in their bedroom after he came home from night shift work and fell asleep

Maria attacked her spouse Oleksandr, 49, in their bedroom after he came home from night shift work and fell asleep in the early hours of August 23.

She strangled him to death with her bare hands before grabbing an axe and hacking the man's head off, police said.

After that Maria used a kitchen knife to chop off the victims genitals and fed the organ to her dogs, local media report.

She then tried to cut the body into pieces but failed, investigators said.

She strangled him to death with her bare hands before grabbing an axe and hacking the man's head off, police said

Neighbour Nadezhda Opanasiu said that she saw the woman covered in blood, and said to her 'I am in trouble. I've killed my husband'

Covered with her husband's blood, Maria rushed out of her family's house to the street where she was spotted by Nadezhda Opanasiuk, a woman living next door.

Mrs Opanasiuk said to local media: 'Her hands, feet and clothes were in blood.

'She said, ''I am in trouble. I've killed my husband.''

'I did not believe her. I thought they had a quarrel and she might have hit him. I went to see if he needed medical help.

'When I walked into the room, I saw his mutilated body. The bedsheets were soaked with blood.

It is believed Maria used a kitchen knife to chop off the victims genitals and fed the organ to her dogs, local media reported

Police spokesman Vadim Artiukhovich said: 'The suspect confessed in full at the scene. She was charged with murder and taken into custody'

'I asked her, ''Where's his head?', and she replied, ''there, in the sack''.'

According to Mrs Opanasiuk, she felt quite sick but managed to reach and alarm other neighbours who called the police.

Maria confessed to murdering her husband at the scene and told cops all the details before being arrested.

Police spokesman Vadim Artiukhovich said: 'The suspect confessed in full at the scene. She was charged with murder and taken into custody.

Maria's son Viktor Fesianov cannot forgive her for what she did. 'I know she is my mother. But I do not want to see her any more,' he said

'The woman said that she was constantly suffering physical and emotional abuse and did not see any other option to end her misery.

'Neighbours say they, in fact, saw the husband beating her up and chasing her with an axe a lot of times.

'However, the woman has never reported the incidents.'

Maria's son Viktor Fesianov cannot forgive her for what she did.

'I know she is my mother. But I do not want to see her any more,' he told local media.

Maria faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. The investigation continues.