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Chairman of the IC of Russia Chairs a Meeting on the Organization of Work in the Context of a Special Military Operation Launched to Protect Donbass

Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, held an operational videoconference meeting on the organization of the work of local investigative authorities under the special military operation launched to protect Donbass. The event was attended by the First Deputy and Deputy Chairmen of the Investigative Committee, heads of departments of the Central Office, regional investigative authorities, educational institutions of the IC.

During the operational meeting A.I. Bastrykin informed the participants about the organization of round-the-clock duty in the Central Office of the IC and instructed the heads of regional investigative authorities in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to organize operation of their units in an enhanced mode. The head of the IC emphasized the need to build effective interaction with all authorities and organize the operation of the investigating authorities in such a way that the tasks facing the Investigative Committee in the current conditions could be successfully resolved. To this end, he instructed officials to establish a clear operational exchange of information with units of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Russian Federal Security Service, the Russian Emergencies Ministry, and the National Guard of Russia (Rosgvardia), as well as other state authorities and local governments.

A.I. Bastrykin said that the Central Office of the IC of Russia had set up operational headquarters to coordinate operations related to documenting crimes committed by the Ukrainian regime against the civilian population of the LPR and DPR. The headquarters’ key task is to collect and record evidence of genocide and other crimes committed by the military and political leadership of Ukraine, members of nationalist battalions and other persons against the peace and security of mankind on the territory of Ukraine, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The head of the IC ordered the creation of interdepartmental investigative and operational groups in the territorial investigation departments of the IC of Russia to immediately respond to incidents in connection with the events in Ukraine, suppress extremist and terrorist manifestations, unauthorized protest actions and provocations, and other actions aimed at destabilizing the situation in the Russian Federation.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee specifically emphasized the need to take, in cooperation with other state bodies, comprehensive measures to identify and suppress the activities of persons who disseminate calls to violate public order, conduct unauthorized actions during the special operation, as well as persons initiating the replication of illegal and destructive user-generated content on the Internet, instant messengers and social networks. Also, A.I. Bastrykin set a goal to ensure – within the framework of the powers granted – the suppression by criminal law means of fake news about events related to the conduct of a special military operation launched to protect the LPR and DPR.

The head of the IC specifically focused on the issues of interaction with refugees from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, noting the need for cooperation with volunteer organizations. At present, several dozens of thousands of people have arrived on the territory of 21 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the refugees have been provided with temporary accommodation facilities. Head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Rostov Oblast A.G. Huade, head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Belgorod Oblast S.A. Zakharov, head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Bryansk Oblast M.P. Lukichev, head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Voronezh Oblast K.E. Levit, head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Kursk Oblast A.B. Gusev, head of the MID of the IC of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol V.N. Terentiev, head of the MID of the IC of Russia for Moscow Oblast A.Yu. Starikov, head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Nizhny Novgorod Oblast A.S. Akhmetshin, and the head of the ID of the IC of Russia for Ryazan Oblast V.A. Nikeshkin spoke on topical issues of investigating crimes committed by Ukrainian security forces, as well as on providing assistance to refugees.

The Chairman of the IC of Russia separately highlighted the topic of protecting and ensuring the rights of orphans who arrived from Donbass. A.I. Bastrykin instructed the Department of Educational Work, as well as all educational institutions of the IC of Russia, in cooperation with the heads of regional investigative departments, to consider the issue of admitting the orphans to the educational organizations of the IC.

As a follow-up, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee gave a number of specific instructions regarding the investigation, emphasizing the need to ensure the principle of inevitability of punishment with respect to Ukrainian war criminals.