Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine have notified in absentia five representatives of the high military command of the Russian army, involved in the missile strike on Kryvyi Rih in 2023 that killed eight people, of suspicion. This was reported by UNN citing the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Details
The strike on Kryvyi Rih was carried out on the night of June 13, 2023, at approximately 03:10. The occupiers launched Kh-101 cruise missiles. One of them hit the warehouse premises of a wholesale food base where employees were present.
The second struck the territory of a former transport enterprise. As a result of the strikes, 8 people were killed, and three more were injured.
In addition, civilian buildings, cars, and other infrastructure objects were damaged. The total amount of damage caused is almost 50 million hryvnias.
The investigation established that the planning and preparation of the shelling were carried out by:
- General of the Army Sergei Surovikin - at that time the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation, who approved the task of the missile strike on civilian objects;
- Lieutenant General Sergei Dronov - Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation - determined the targets for the use of missile weapons;
- Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash - Commander of Long-Range Aviation of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation - directed the combat order to shell civilian objects;
- Colonel Nikolai Varpakhovich - Commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the Russian Federation - directed the combat order to strike civilian targets;
- Colonel Oleg Skitsky - Commander of the 121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment of the Russian Federation - ensured the execution of the missile strike on civilian objects.
All suspects were notified in absentia of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war that caused the death of people, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy). This crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years or life imprisonment.
Recall
On June 23, Russia carried out a ballistic missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, damaging industrial infrastructure.