Under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, a 22-year-old Russian soldier has been notified of suspicion in absentia for shooting at a car with civilians in the Kharkiv region (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

A family from Kharkiv — a husband and wife and their two children — a 9-year-old daughter and a 17-year-old son — decided to evacuate to a safer settlement on March 2, 2022.

While they were driving along the highway near the village of Dementiivka in the Kharkiv district, which was already under the control of the occupiers at that time, a Russian serviceman, realizing that he was facing a civilian vehicle, opened fire with a 12.7 mm machine gun.

The father and his 9-year-old daughter died at the scene. The mother and 17-year-old son sustained serious injuries but managed to escape the vehicle. Concerned individuals noticed the victims and promptly took them to the hospital.

Juvenile prosecutors, together with police investigators, conducted extensive work and identified the suspect. He is a serviceman of the 237th Tank Regiment of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Moscow Military District, originally from the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation.

Currently, the issue of announcing the suspect in absentia is being resolved. The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police in the Kharkiv region. Operational support is provided by the Security Service of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region.