Two former Berkut officers from Sevastopol have been charged with torture at a checkpoint

Two former members of the Sevastopol “Berkut” unit have been charged in connection with the alleged torture of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel, activists, and volunteers at a checkpoint near Virmenske in 2014.

This is stated in the text of the charges, published on the website of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The suspects are charged with cruel treatment of prisoners of war and civilians, treason, and violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

The case involves two former sniper inspectors from the assault platoon of the “Berkut” special police company of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Sevastopol:

• Konstantin Koltsov, born in 1987, a native of the village of Aromatnoye in the Bakhchisaray District of Crimea. He previously held the rank of police lieutenant.
• Mykola Lyanoi, born in 1988, a native of Sevastopol. He also served as a police lieutenant.

After the occupation of Crimea in 2014, both transferred to serve in a Russian law enforcement agency—the Sevastopol unit of “OMON ‘Berkut’ of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in Sevastopol.”

According to the investigation, in February–March 2014, Lyanoi and Koltsov participated in the brutal mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians at the “Turkish Wall” checkpoint near Armiansk. Among the victims were Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen, “Automaidan” participants, journalists, and Red Cross volunteers.

Specifically, on March 2, Berkut officers detained three Ukrainian soldiers, whom they beat, tortured, and subsequently transported to the guardhouse of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. On March 9, “Automaidan” activists and journalists were detained at a checkpoint; according to the investigation, they were also tortured and held at the guardhouse.

On the night of March 16, military personnel stopped a convoy of vehicles carrying Red Cross humanitarian aid. The volunteers were forced to lie on the ground; one of them was beaten, and two minibuses were illegally confiscated.

According to investigators, the group’s actions were carried out on the orders of the command of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, specifically Deputy Commander Valery Kulikov, who was personally present at the scene and directed his subordinates.

Lyanov and Koltsov are suspected of committing a war crime as part of a premeditated conspiracy by a group of individuals. They are also charged with the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

Ірина Глухова