The Department for crimes connected with the use of prohibited ways and methods of warfare of the RF Investigative Committee’s Head Office has identified commanders of Ukrainian Armed Forces’ divisions who shelled civilian infrastructure and population in southeastern Ukraine in March 2016.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated against commander of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces colonel Andrei Sokolov, commander of the 93rd separate mechanized brigade colonel Vladislav Klochkov, commander of the 30th separate mechanized brigade colonel Vitaly Yakubov, commander of the 1st battalion of the 14th separate mechanized brigade lieutenant colonel Mikhail Prokopiv, and other unidentified people that serve in the said divisions. Investigators believe that their actions contain signs of a crime under Part 1 of Article 356 of the RF Penal Code (use of prohibited ways and methods of warfare).
According to the investigators, on 15 and 16 March 2016, Adnrei Sokolov, Vladislav Klochkov and other military men of the 72nd and 93rd separate mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces opened aimed fire from heavy weapons on the settlements of Yasinovataya and Staromikhailovka, Donetsk region of Ukraine. The shelling damaged infrastructure of Yasinovataya checkpoint, an electric power line, houses in the settlement of Staromikhailovka.
On 16 March 2016, Vitaly Yakubov and military men of the 30th separate mechanized brigade shelled a house in Geroicheskaya Street and the surrounding area in Nikitovsky District in the town of Gorlovka and wounded two civilians.
On 24 and 28 March 2016, Mikhail Prokopiv and other military men of the 14th separate mechanized brigade opened aimed fire from heavy weapons on Petrovsky and Kiyevsky Districts of Donetsk wounding a civilian and destroying houses.
In addition, an investigation has been opened in artillery fire from heavy weapons on houses in the town of Makeyevka on 27 October 2016. The Ukrainian Armed Forces cynically started this shelling in the evening, apprantly to hit as much civilians as possible. Two people were killed and at least five, including a 6-year-old girl whose father was killed in front of her eyes, were wounded. Civilian infrastructure and houses were damaged.
At present, investigative and search operations are underway to find out all the details of the crimes and identify other people involved in them.
Acting Head of Media Relations S.L. Petrenko
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