News

The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic found the evidence gathered by the Military Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Combined Group of Forces (Troops) sufficient to pass a guilty verdict on Ivan Filipov, a soldier of military unit 3029 (15th Separate Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard). He has been found guilty of committing crimes under Part 1 of Article 356 (cruel treatment of civilians and the use of prohibited methods in armed conflict) and clauses "a", "v" and "l" of Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the RF (murder of three persons, including a minor, committed out of hatred and enmity).

The investigation established that from February 24, 2022, Filipov had been participating in combat operations in the city of Mariupol. On one day in March 2022, armed with his assigned Zbroyar Z-10 (UAR-10) sniper rifle, he was positioned at "Kupol" when he spotted a white civilian car moving towards the positions of the Russian Armed Forces and the People's Militia of the Donetsk People's Republic. White ribbons, indicating civilian status, were tied to the car’s side mirrors. Inside the car there was a man, a woman, and a young child. Fully aware that they were unarmed civilians not participating in the hostilities, Filipov fired seven shots from his sniper rifle, killing them all.

Filipov was sentenced by court in absentia to life imprisonment to be served in a high-security penal colony. He has been placed on an international wanted list.