Three Russian servicemen are suspected of committing a war crime. They are accused of the shooting of a civilian resident of Gostomel during the occupation of the Kyiv region by Russian troops.
This was reported on Monday, March 2, by the Prosecutor General's Office.
According to the case materials, in March 2022, during the temporary occupation of the village of Gostomel, Buchansky District, the commander of an assault company of one of the units of the Russian Airborne Forces gave his subordinates the order to shoot a civilian.
“The occupiers stopped an unarmed man on the street, who was in civilian clothes and did not participate in hostilities. Following the order, they shot the Ukrainian with an automatic weapon. The victim died on the spot from a gunshot wound to the head,” the prosecutor's office said.
During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that the suspects were fully aware of the victim's civil status.
The commander's actions were classified under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder. The actions of the subordinates – under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – commission of a war crime by prior conspiracy by a group of persons. The sanction of the articles provides for life imprisonment.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers inspected the scene, conducted forensic and molecular genetic examinations, exhumation, and analysis of mobile phone data. They also questioned witnesses and the injured party, conducted investigative experiments, and conducted identification procedures.
On February 27, the National Police reported that the Pskov sniper is suspected of killing civilians during the occupation of Bucha in the Kyiv region. According to the case materials, on March 4, 2022, the suspect shot a 37-year-old civilian in the head after torturing him. And on March 6, he shot a 55-year-old resident.
The investigative editorial team of Suspilny investigated how justice works against the occupiers and what will happen to sentences passed in absentia. Is there a chance that criminals will end up behind bars, and are those who have already been sentenced in absentia still serving their sentences?