Severed heads of fallen Ukrainian servicemen – Prosecutor General's Office launches investigation into Russian war crime
Kyiv • UNN
The Prosecutor General's Office is investigating the decapitation of two fallen AFU soldiers in the Zaporizhzhia region. Priority investigative and procedural actions are currently underway to establish all circumstances of the crime and identify the persons involved.
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, representatives of the Russian Armed Forces desecrated the bodies of two Ukrainian servicemen by cutting off the heads of the fallen; a war crime investigation has been launched. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to UNN.
The Office of the Prosecutor General has initiated a pre-trial investigation into another gross violation of international humanitarian law by the Russian military
Details
According to the investigation, on May 12, 2026, in the Zaporizhzhia direction, representatives of the Russian Armed Forces desecrated the bodies of two Ukrainian servicemen who died during combat operations. Russian military personnel cut off the heads of the fallen defenders.
Such actions are a deliberate violation of the laws and customs of war and are qualified as a war crime under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Main Investigative Directorate of the SBU under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Currently, priority investigative and procedural actions are being carried out to establish all the circumstances of the crime and the persons involved.
Context
On May 12 of this year, soldiers of the 225th Regiment were ambushed by an enemy group in the Huliaipole direction. During the battle, two Ukrainian soldiers were killed. The commander of the occupying unit ordered to chop off the heads of the deceased Ukrainians "for confirmation" and to place them in a prominent position at the edge of the field.
Reminder
The Office of the Prosecutor General has recorded over 256,000 crimes of Russian aggression, of which 225,000 are war crimes. Currently, 254 individuals have been convicted, and 1,191 suspects have been formally notified of suspicion.