Prosecutors systematically record facts of violations of international humanitarian law by the military forces of the Russian Federation and representatives of the occupation administrations.

Chernihiv region: suspicion against a Russian soldier who opened fire on civilians

Under the procedural guidance of the Kozelets District Prosecutor's Office of Chernihiv region, a soldier of the Russian Armed Forces has been established and notified in absentia of suspicion for violating the laws and customs of war (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation revealed that in March 2022, an occupier, while in one of the villages of the Chernihiv district, together with other Russian soldiers, opened aimed fire on four unarmed civilians who posed no threat.

One of the victims sustained serious bodily injuries. 

The suspect has been declared wanted.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Chernihiv District Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office.

Donetsk region: two supervisors and a pseudo-military commissioner of the "DPR" to be tried for torture and forced mobilization

Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, indictments have been sent to court against three representatives of the occupation regime of the so-called "DPR".

They are accused of cruel treatment of prisoners of war and civilians, as well as forced mobilization of citizens of Ukraine (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to the investigation, two former "supervisors" from an illegal armed formation, while in a seized building of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk, tortured captives – beat them, humiliated them, shot them with traumatic weapons, and forced them to perform exhausting physical punishments.

The third accused, a former private entrepreneur, headed the "military commissariat of the DPR" and in 2023-2024 organized the forced mobilization of local residents into the armed formations of the Russian Federation.

Those who refused were threatened with persecution by the "law enforcement agencies" of the occupation administration.

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by investigators of the National Police of Ukraine in the Donetsk region and the Security Service of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office.

The cases were investigated in absentia.

The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment for a term of 8 to 12 years.

Suspicion against the rector of the church who collaborated with the occupiers during the occupation of Lyman

Prosecutors of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office have notified in absentia a representative of a religious organization who assisted the occupiers in establishing illegal authority during the temporary occupation of the city of Lyman. His actions have been qualified as aiding the aggressor state (Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation established that in May 2022, the rector of one of the churches belonging to the Horlivka Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church openly supported the Russian invaders.

He provided Russian military personnel access to church premises, allowed them to station personnel, store weapons and ammunition, and use the churchyard as a parking lot for military vehicles.

After the liberation of Lyman by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the priest fled along with the occupiers and is currently wanted.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment for a term of 10 to 12 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to 15 years, with or without confiscation of property.

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.