The prosecutor's office, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, has identified the commander of the 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and two subordinate commanders of battalion tactical groups who facilitated the strike on a residential area of Chernihiv. 

As a result of this strike by the aggressor state, 20 people were killed, and another 28 were injured of varying degrees of severity.

On the morning of March 16, 2022, in execution of a plan developed by the higher military leadership of Russia for encirclement and occupation, they shelled the regional center using imprecise, indiscriminate weapons – the Grad multiple launch rocket systems. At that time, local residents had gathered near a store to purchase food.

Understanding that the store was located in an area of the city with dense public development, apartment buildings, educational institutions, and other civilian infrastructure, the Russian servicemen issued combat orders to their units to use the Grad MLRS against the civilian population and civilian objects.

As a result of the shelling, the store's premises, apartment buildings, and other structures were damaged. 

There were no military objects near the strike site, indicating a deliberate attack on civilians for the purpose of intimidation and terror. Although international humanitarian law stipulates that civilian infrastructure and civilian populations cannot be the object of attack.

The commander of the motorized rifle brigade and the two commanders of the battalion tactical groups have been notified of suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder committed by a group of individuals by prior conspiracy (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Under the procedural guidance of the Chernihiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, the pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings is being conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine in the Chernihiv region.

It is worth noting that assistance in identifying those involved in the war crime of the aggressor state was provided by the public organizations "Truth Hounds" and "Global Rights Compliance," which are engaged in documenting war crimes.