SBU exposes Russian commanders responsible for massive shelling of Kherson region

The SBU has collected evidence of the involvement of five Russian military commanders in the artillery shelling of civilian targets in the liberated part of Kherson region, which resulted in the deaths of over a hundred civilians. They have now been notified of being suspected of war crimes.

This was reported by the SBU Communications Department.

The Security Service of Ukraine has collected evidence against five Russian military involved in large-scale shelling of the liberated part of Kherson region.

According to the case materials, the following are involved:

• Colonel-General Oleg Makarevych, former commander of the "Dnipro" group of the Russian Armed Forces, who served until the fall of 2023;
• Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of the "Dnipro" group of troops, Major General Volodymyr Omelyanovych;
• Lieutenant General Arkady Marzoev, Commander of the 22nd Army Corps of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation;
• Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of this corps, Major General Viktor Bedryk;
• Colonel Mykola Horaychuk, Chief of Missile and Artillery Troops of the 22nd Army Corps.

The investigation found that between January and October 2023, these commanders directed artillery strikes against civilian targets on the right bank of the Kherson region. They organized targeted shelling of residential buildings, schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure.

The occupiers used multiple launch rocket systems, self-propelled artillery pieces and towed howitzers of large caliber.

The shelling killed at least 113 civilians, including three children, and injured more than 280 people, including minors, with varying degrees of severity.

Law enforcement officers have established that the attacks were carried out from the temporarily occupied areas of the left-bank part of Kherson region.

Based on the evidence gathered, the SBU served these five people with absentia suspicion notices under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - war crimes committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons that led to the death of people. According to the press service, each of the suspects will be found and brought to justice.

The case of a Russian citizen, an employee of the occupation special service in Kherson region, who is accused of torturing a civilian, was also brought to court. The man was beaten, deprived of food and water, and subjected to electric shocks during interrogations.

Анна Бальчінос