Former Russian Commander Dvornikov Suspected in Mykolaiv Attack

The former commander of the Russian Southern Military District , Alexander Dvornikov, was suspected in absentia of involvement in the rocket attack on the building of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration on March 29, 2022. It was he who, later becoming the head of all Russian occupation forces in Ukraine, gave the order that led to the tragedy.

The relevant document was published by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Investigators found that Dvornikov gave an operational directive to the command of the 58th Combined Arms Army, ordering the shelling of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration. The army leadership then passed the combat order to the 12th Missile Brigade of the Russian Federation.

On March 29, 2022, a 9M727 (Iskander-K) cruise missile was fired from the area of the Crimean village of Konurcha at the construction administration. It hit the central part of the building between the 4th and 5th floors. The central section was destroyed from the ninth to the first floor. The strike killed 36 people and injured 38 others. Among the victims were civilians, military personnel who supported the work of the head of the regional state administration, and police officers guarding the building.

According to the SBU, during the attacks, the Russian military, including Dvornikov, ignored the norms of the Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians. He is suspected of violating the laws and customs of war, in particular, of premeditated murder committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

Earlier, in 2019, Dvornikov was one of the key figures in the occupation of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. On April 9, 2022, he was appointed commander of the Russian invasion forces in Ukraine.

Recently, law enforcement officers have identified another Russian soldier who tortured a local resident during the occupation of the Snihuriv community. The invaders intimidated the woman, blindfolded her and forced her to walk through the territory they called "mined", doused her with fuel and threatened to set her on fire. The perpetrator currently faces up to 12 years in prison.

Ukraine continues to collect data on all those involved in Russia's armed aggression. More than 680 thousand people have already been entered into theWar Criminal database, a special system created by the National Police at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. This interagency resource allows for the exchange of data on individuals who have committed war crimes.

Анна Бальчінос