News

The Investigative Committee of Russia has initiated a criminal case against Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Gerasimenko, the deputy commander of the 56th separate motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as other unidentified persons from among the military personnel of this brigade. They are suspected of committing a crime under Part 1, Article 356 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (ill-treatment of the civilian population, the use of prohibited means and methods in an armed conflict).

According to the investigation, on April 24, 2022, Gerasimenko and other servicemen of the 56th separate motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, being in the territory under their control in the settlements of Vodyanoe and Pervomayskoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic, carried out targeted artillery shelling of civilian infrastructure in Petrovsky Raion of Donetsk. The shelling injured a 71-year-old civilian, damaged residential buildings and facilities.

Gerasimenko and his accomplices carried out deliberately criminal orders of higher commanders and officials of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. In doing so, they violated the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and Additional Protocol II.

The Investigative Committee of Russia is taking steps to identify other Ukrainian servicemen involved in the crime.