Ukrainian Authorities Charge Russian General and Subordinates in Kherson Torture Case

Ukrainian law enforcement officers have identified and notified in absentia 11 Russian police officers of suspicion. All of them were charged with violations of the laws and customs of war by prior conspiracy of a group, under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28, and Parts 1 and 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, in June 2022, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation from various units were sent to the Russian occupied territory of the Kherson region to ensure the occupation regime.

In Kherson, a 47-year-old Major General of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs headed the illegally created "Temporary Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Kherson Region." Two colonels of the Russian police became his deputies.

The officials of the pseudo-agency controlled the Kherson detention center. In July 2022, a 38-year-old senior lieutenant of the Russian police with the pseudonym "Zloi" became the head of the occupation detention center. Seven more junior officers and sergeants of the Russian police took up regular positions in this detention center, reports Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.

The suspects illegally imprisoned at least 183 civilians and subjected them to physical and psychological abuse. In particular, people were beaten and tortured with electric shocks. One of the suspects assisted in the deliberate killing of a male prisoner.

Additionally, under the threat of physical punishment, the suspects forced prisoners to vote in the illegal referendum on the annexation of the Kherson region to the Russian Federation.

In October 2022, the suspects participated in the forced transfer of at least 60 civilians from the detention center to places of detention on the left bank of the Kherson region and other occupied territories. Only nine of them were later able to return to territory controlled by Ukraine. The whereabouts of the others remain unknown.