The Investigative Committee of Russia continues identifying officials involved in the use of banned means and methods of warfare against Donbass civilians. The investigation collected data confirming involvement in such offenses of commander of the 54th separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Alexey Maystrenko. He has been in this position since 2017 and, as a commander, has the right to issue orders binding on all servicemen of this military unit.

On July 7, 2019, acting jointly with other military officers while executing admittedly offensive orders of higher officials, Maystrenko ordered to perform a targeted artillery attack with high-casualty heavy weapons of a caliber of at least 82 mm against civilian infrastructure objects of no military target located in Pervomaysk, the self-appointed Luhansk People’s Republic. He also instructed to perform artillery attacks on the Pervomaysk civilian infrastructure objects on July 20, 2019. These attacks damaged residential buildings and injured 8 persons including two children. A woman born in 1965 died of her wounds.

Alexey Maystrenko was in absentia charged with committing an offense under Part 3 of Article 33, Part 1 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code of Russia (organization of use during a military conflict of means and methods banned by the international agreement signed by the Russian Federation).

The Investigative Committee of Russia continues to carry out investigative actions and search activities aimed to identify other officials involved in similar offenses.

 

Official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia S. Petrenko