An indictment against three occupants has been sent to court on suspicion of murdering a man during the seizure of a village in Kharkiv region for remarking to the invaders when they were shooting at cattle. The accused are on the wanted list. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.
"The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office approved and sent to court an indictment against a 33-year-old Russian military officer on the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder committed by a group of persons (Part 2 of Art. 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), and two more servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces aged 23 and 25 on the fact of aiding and abetting in the said crime (Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)," the statement said.
It is reported that the accused are three servicemen of the military unit 54096 of the Russian Armed Forces, natives of the Republic of Dagestan.
According to the investigation, on May 3, 2022, they arrived in a Niva car to the seized village of Makarove, Bohodukhiv district. At that time, these soldiers were based in the occupied village of Kozacha Lopan.
"They entered the agricultural enterprise and saw a 70-year-old local resident who was working as a security guard and looking after the cattle. The Russian military started shooting with firearms in the direction of the animals. The man made a remark to the accused that the shots were scaring the cattle," the statement said.
The occupiers were outraged, but left the place. On May 5, they came back to Makarove village and saw the man going to work.
"The 33-year-old soldier got out of the car and made two shots in the back of the local resident. Two other defendants watched to make sure there were no witnesses to the murder. The victim died on the spot. After that, the occupants began kicking the victim to check if he was really dead. When they were convinced that the man was dead, they left the scene," the prosecutor's office said.
It is noted that the defendants are wanted. They will be tried in the Dergachiv District Court of Kharkiv Region.