Russian Soldiers Accused of War Crimes and Mykolaiv Scandal

Two Russian army soldiers were accused of cruelty to civilians and violation of the laws of war. The commander and his deputy from the 205th Motorized Rifle Brigade were formally suspected by the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, the investigation established that in September 2022, during the occupation of the village of Yevhenivka in Mykolaiv region, the suspects, together with a group of Russian military, illegally detained a local resident. The man was held for a day in inhumane conditions, subjecting him to severe torture. The occupiers beat him with their hands, feet, and a wooden stick on various parts of his body.

For this crime, the Russian military is accused of violating international humanitarian law (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the National Police of Mykolaiv region.

In Mykolaiv, a military official is at the center of a corruption scandal. He was accused of misappropriating over UAH 2.3 million allocated for defense needs.

According to the investigation, the official was supposed to purchase fuel wood for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but used the scheme for personal enrichment.

Recently, in Mykolaiv region, an official was suspected of embezzling budget funds for the repair of a lyceum shelter. The court imposed a measure of restraint on the suspect in the form of house arrest.

In addition, in Mykolaiv, following an audit, the court ordered the arrest of entrepreneurs accused of embezzling 40 million hryvnias allocated for the construction of a bridge. The auditors expressed doubts about the ability of the winner of the tender, a private small business from Kyiv region, to fulfill the terms of the contract.

Андрій Колісніченко