The prosecutors of the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office have sent indictments to the court against four representatives of the armed formations of the Russian Federation for the facts of cruel treatment of the civilian population and committing other violations of the laws and customs of war (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation established that at various times during 2022, the accused — employees of the special services and military personnel of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, while in the temporarily occupied cities of Kherson, Bilozerka, and Skadovsk, illegally detained local residents. 

People were interrogated using physical violence, tortured to the point of losing consciousness, forced to cooperate, and held in basements or overcrowded cells, where there was no proper ventilation, windows, or access to sanitary and hygienic needs.

We remind you that in September, the prosecutor's office reported suspicions against ten occupiers under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — cruel treatment of the civilian population and other violations of the laws and customs of war. 

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Kherson region and the Main Directorate of the National Police in the region.

Operational support was provided by the Main Directorate of the National Police in the region and the Main Directorate for Combating Corruption of the Security Service of Ukraine in the region.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.