Russia Files Absentia Charges Against Former Ukrainian Officials Over Donbass and Strikes

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. Charges have been pressed in absentia against former Ukrainian defense ministers Alexey Reznikov and Mikhail Fyodorov have been linked to punitive operations against civilian residents of Donbass, and a decision was made to launch an international search for them, Russian Investigative Committee (IC) Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said, summarizing a meeting convened by IC Director Alexander Bastrykin in Lugansk.

In addition, Russian investigators found the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate Head Oleg Ivashchenko and Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi responsible for attacks on a beach in the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka, a massive attack on Nizhnekamsk as well as attacks targeting the Iranian vessel Ana and the Russian vessel Navis-1 in the Volga-Caspian waterway.

TASS has compiled key information on the decisions.

Two ex-Ukrainian defense chiefs

- Russia’s investigative body has found Ukraine’s two former defense ministers, Alexey Reznikov and Mikhail Fyodorov, responsible for crimes as part of a criminal case involving the ill-treatment of civilians in Donbass.

- In 2021-2023 and 2026, they issued criminal orders and instructions to their staff to carry out punitive paramilitary operations in Donbass.

- According to the IC, those criminal actions caused mass civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.

- Charges of crimes targeting Donbass civilians were brought in absentia against the two ex-Ukrainian defense chiefs.

- Also, an international search for them has been launched.

GUR and Ukrainian army

- Russian investigators found the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate Head Oleg Ivashchenko and Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi responsible for attacks on a beach in the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka, a massive attack on Nizhnekamsk as well as attacks targeting the Iranian vessel Ana and the Russian vessel Navis-1 in the Volga-Caspian waterway.

- As many as 21 people, including children, were killed as a result of those terrorist attacks.

- Charges were brought in absentia against Ivashchenko and Brovdi.

- Also, the two were put on an international wanted list.

Foreigner detained for recruiting mercenaries

- Alimordon Khudikov, a foreign national, was detained as he attempted to enter Russia in August.

- Information about his role in recruiting foreigners to join Ukrainian armed formations for remuneration was confirmed.

- It was also established that he himself was planning to join Ukrainian armed formations.

- Khudikov’s criminal activities were foiled by Russia’s Federal Security Service.

- He was ordered to remain in custody.

Criminal cases

- Since 2014, the IC has opened 11,305 criminal cases into crimes perpetrated by the Kiev regime.

- So far, 1,201 cases have been filed with the courts, with 1,252 people convicted.

- As many as 1,153 mercenaries have been indicted.