Abduction of patriots, imitation of executions: Ukraine's Security Service detained collaborator in Mykolaiv Oblast

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has detained a 62-year old resident of the Shevchenkove hromada [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories – ed.] of the Mykolayiv district on suspicion of helping Russian invaders in the abduction and torture of Ukrainian patriots.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine; Mykolaiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Details: According to the investigation, in July 2022, while under occupation in one of the settlements of the Shevchenkove hromada, which borders Kherson Oblast, this man collaborated with the Russian military.

According to the SSU, a local resident himself offered his help to the Russian invaders, and they included him in the punitive detachments that made "raids" on members of the resistance movement: Ukrainian patriots were abducted, taken to torture chambers and tortured.

According to the investigation, the defendant was directly involved in these crimes. The perpetrator and the Russian forces abducted patriotic men, took them outside the village, beat them up, and "staged" executions in an open area.

Local residents were put to the wall, and with firearms pointed at them, they were fired at in dangerous proximity. Thus, the invaders tried to intimidate and persuade Ukrainians to cooperate or to provide secret information.

SSU officers received testimonies from seven victims who suffered from such attacks.

A 62-year old man was detained as a result of stabilisation measures in the liberated territories. On the basis of the collected evidence, he was served a notice of suspicion of complicity in violating the laws and customs of war, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons (Art. 27.5, Art. 28.2 and Art. 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The suspect is in custody. He faces up to 12 years in prison. The prosecutors chose an exceptional preventive measure: detention without the right to bail.

An investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances of the crime.

Complex activities were carried out by SSU officers in Mykolaiv Oblast together with the National Police under the procedural leadership of the Mykolaiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office. 

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