Prosecutors of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office have approved and sent to court an indictment against a 43-year-old serviceman of the 4th company of the 4th battalion of the 204th rifle regiment of the mobilization reserve "LNR" of the 2nd army corps of the 8th combined arms army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces for the fact of cruel treatment of the civilian population, violation of the laws and customs of war, committed by a group of persons in conspiracy (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – as amended in 2022).

According to the investigation, in March 2022, during the temporary occupation of the village of Kapitolivka in the Izium district, the accused, together with other Russian soldiers, conducted illegal searches in the homes of residents. 

Threatening with firearms, the occupiers forced people to hand over cars, generators, food products, and personal belongings. Any resistance was suppressed by intimidation and threats of murder. 

Victims were primarily selected from those who refused to receive "humanitarian aid" from the Russian Federation. They took away food supplies and even livestock from people. 

However, the occupiers did not limit themselves to looting: after abducting a civilian, they held him in a basement and tortured him. The occupiers detained and abused the victim for seven days, after which they released him.

This crime was committed by the military "LNR" in collaboration with another occupier involved in the murder of Ukrainian children's writer Volodymyr Vakulenko. Judicial proceedings are already underway against the accomplice.

In total, 12 people suffered from the cruel actions of the criminal.

The accused is wanted and will be tried in absentia in the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kharkiv.

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police in the Kharkiv 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 guilty verdict of the court.