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SBU Charges Russian General Oleksandr Kornev Over Occupation and War Crimes in Kherson
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has formally charged Russian Major General Oleksandr Kornev in absentia for his role in the 2022 occupation of the Kherson region, accusing him of directing actions that led to mass civilian harm and widespread destruction.
As the SBU reported on November 13, Kornev commands the 7th Air Assault (Mountain) Division of Russia’s Southern Military District. Investigators established that on February 24, 2022, his unit, operating within the “Dnepr” troop grouping, advanced into Kherson from temporarily occupied Crimea.
Once Russian forces took control, the region was cut off, triggering a humanitarian crisis marked by widespread repression of local residents. According to the investigation, thousands of civilians—including women and children—were killed or wounded, and hundreds of civilian facilities were destroyed or damaged.
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The SBU says troops under Kornev’s command set up checkpoints used to abduct civilians and seize private property. Evidence collected by investigators indicates he issued orders enabling these actions.
Based on this material, Ukrainian authorities have notified Kornev of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 437 of the Criminal Code—committing the crime of aggression in concert with others.
Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine identified another Russian serviceman involved in war crimes committed against Ukrainian defenders. According to the SBU, the suspect is Volodymyr Polupoltinnykh, commander of the so-called “6th Separate Cossack Motorized Rifle Brigade of the LNR,” a unit integrated into the Russian Armed Forces under the Southern Military District.
Investigators determined that on June 10, 2022, Polupoltinnykh ordered the torture of Ukrainian soldiers captured on the eastern front and personally participated in the abuse. Evidence collected by the SBU shows that during one of these incidents, he used a knife to carve the letter “Z” into the forehead of a Ukrainian prisoner of war.
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