Russian soldier who raped woman in Balakliia, Kharkiv Oblast, sentenced in absentia to 12 years
A Russian soldier has been sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison for raping a woman during the occupation of the town of Balakliia in Kharkiv Oblast.
Source: Prosecutor General's Office
Details: In April 2022, during the occupation of Balakliia, Kharkiv Oblast, Russian troops detained a local woman who they suspected was "cooperating with the Ukrainian Armed Forces" and held her at a police station for 24 hours.
Quote from the Prosecutor's Office: "During the night, a Russian soldier took her out of the cell to an office and raped her, threatening to kill her."
Details: The investigation established that the crime was committed by a grenade launcher operator from the 202nd Rifle Regiment of the Russian army.
The soldier was found guilty of violating the laws and customs of war (Article 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison.
In total, as of the end of September 2026, 411 cases of sexual violence related to Russian aggression had been documented.
The highest numbers were recorded in:
- Kherson Oblast – 128
- Donetsk Oblast – 92
- Kyiv Oblast – 60
- Kharkiv Oblast – 49
Background: Earlier, Ukrainian law enforcement officers served notices of suspicion on two Russian soldiers who tortured Ukrainian volunteer Iryna Dovhan in 2014.
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