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Russian Soldier Accused of Kidnapping, Holding Ukrainian Woman Hostage, and Abusing Her for Over a Year
![Russian Soldier Accused of Kidnapping, Holding Ukrainian Woman Hostage, and Abusing Her for Over a Year Russian Soldier Accused of Kidnapping, Holding Ukrainian Woman Hostage, and Abusing Her for Over a Year](https://storage.united24media.com/thumbs/1014x676/f/c0/b5cab4982d4c75efc49aa57aadda7c0f.webp)
On January 29, Ukrainian law enforcement authorities identified a Russian soldier accused of organizing the forced deportation of a resident of the Izyum region to Belgorod, where she was allegedly held captive, assaulted, and abused for over a year.
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, during the Russian occupation of the Izyum district in 2022, the suspect, a serviceman from the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division within Russia’s Western Military District, forced a 21-year-old woman into non-consensual acts under the threat of a firearm. Despite her resistance, the crime was carried out. The following month, he reportedly repeated the offense, using additional threats directed at the victim and her family.
In June 2022, the suspect arranged for two other Russian soldiers, identified by their call signs “Ibrahim” and “Maga,” to transport the woman to Belgorod.
On June 13, armed individuals arrived at her home, ordered her to pack her belongings and documents, and threatened to harm her family if she refused. She was taken to the Verigivka border checkpoint in Russia’s Belgorod region, where she was forced to pass through passport control before being handed over to the suspect.
Upon arrival in Russia, the suspect was already waiting and took her to an apartment in Belgorod, where she was reportedly kept for over a year. Investigators report that during this period, the victim endured repeated physical violence and mistreatment.
“The investigation established that to prevent the girl from escaping, the windows and balcony were secured with iron bars, and the entrance door remained permanently locked,” the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine stated, adding that “the prolonged psychological and physical abuse ultimately led the victim to attempt self-harm by ingesting boric acid.”
Eventually, she managed to escape after the suspect was detained by Russian military authorities for avoiding service. She has since returned to Ukraine.
Ukrainian investigators, under the guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, have officially charged the 31-year-old suspect in absentia under multiple sections of Ukraine’s Criminal Code related to war crimes. If convicted, he faces between 8 to 12 years in prison.
Previously, it was reported that sexual violence has been used as a tool of Russian warfare, from World War II to the present war in Ukraine.