Russia's Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov served with notice of suspicion over Russian strike on Kyiv that killed 20 people
Kyiv • UNN
The Prosecutor General's Office notified Valery Gerasimov of the suspicion over the attack on Kyiv on July 2, 2026. Twenty civilians were killed and 32 were injured.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, has been notified of suspicion over Russia’s strike on Kyiv on July 2, in which 20 people were killed. This is reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office, UNN reports.
Details
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, on July 2, 2026, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive combined attack on Kyiv and the Kyiv region using cruise and ballistic missiles and attack drones. As a result of the attack, 20 civilians were killed and another 32 were injured. Residential buildings, medical facilities, and civilian infrastructure were damaged and destroyed.
It was established that the strike on Kyiv was carried out pursuant to directives issued by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces—the First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, who has simultaneously held the position of commander of the Joint Group of Forces of the Russian Armed Forces since January 11, 2023, the Prosecutor General’s Office noted.
"Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the general, acting in collusion with Russia’s highest political and military leadership, has issued operational directives and combat orders through subordinate military command bodies concerning systematic massive strikes on populated areas and civilian facilities throughout Ukraine," the Prosecutor General’s Office stated.
The Prosecutor General’s Office emphasized that the purpose of such attacks is to intimidate the civilian population, destroy critical infrastructure, and create humanitarian instability in order to exert pressure on Ukraine’s military and political leadership.
Based on the evidence collected, the general was notified of suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war, resulting in the deaths of people (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). In 2024, the International Criminal Court also issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with systematic strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure facilities
Background
Law enforcement officers launched an investigation into Russia’s missile-and-drone attack on Kyiv on July 2. According to the investigation, direct responsibility for organizing the attack lies with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Valery Gerasimov.