Russian soldier served with notice of suspicion over shooting of five Ukrainian soldiers and civilian

A Russian soldier who shot dead five unarmed Ukrainian defence forces servicemen and one civilian in Kharkiv Oblast on 13 October has been served with a notice of suspicion.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine (SSU)

Quote: "The individual in question is Leonid Ryzhikov, a 36-year-old Russian citizen and resident of St Petersburg. He served in the 2nd Battalion of the 1009th Motorised Rifle Regiment, 68th Motorised Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces, using the alias Yula.

According to the SSU, the suspect was conscripted into the army of the aggressor state in late July of this year. This occurred after he served eight years in prison for the intentional infliction of severe bodily harm and theft."

Details: He fought against Ukraine in the Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv Oblast.

The SSU found that on 5-6 October, Ryzhikov came under fire from the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the village of Starytsia.

Armed with an AK-74 assault rifle, he fled the area and began walking towards the city of Kharkiv, hiding in forested areas.

Along the way, he burgled an abandoned house, stealing civilian clothes from it.

Quote: "On 13 October, near the village of Mykhailivka in the Kharkiv district, Ryzhikov unprovokedly shot dead a 60-year-old peaceful local resident, who was fishing at a pond, using his assault rifle. After killing the elderly man, he pushed his body into the water.

That same day, Yula broke into a private property in the village of Momotove, where five Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen were temporarily staying. At the time, they were not taking part in hostilities, were unarmed and were dressed in civilian clothes, making them civilians under the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

With no need to do so, Ryzhikov ruthlessly shot these people, some of whom were simply sleeping."

Details: Law enforcement officers report that Ryzhikov hid the assault rifle and headed towards Kharkiv.

On 14 October, SSU officers, together with the National Police and the National Guard, detained him in the Saltivskyi district.

Based on the gathered evidence, Security Service investigators have served the detained Russian serviceman with a notice of suspicion under Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes resulting in death).

He faces life imprisonment.

Background:

• On 13 October, an unknown assailant shot and killed five soldiers from the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade inside a residential building in the Kharkiv district. It was reported that the attacker was wanted.
• Law enforcement officers have detained a Russian serviceman on suspicion of murdering five Ukrainian soldiers and one civilian.

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