Tuesday, 1 August ‘23

This week’s overview of key events and links to essential reading.

Russian Propagandist Accused of Calling for Genocide

Investigators of the Main Investigative Department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) issued a suspicion in absentia against Anton Kuznetsov-Krasovsky, ex-director of the Russian TV channel RT for publicly calling for the drowning and burning of Ukrainian children. Issued on July 18, the suspicion accuses the 48-year-old of public calls for genocide, in violation of Part 2 of Article 442 of Ukraine’s criminal code.

His statements aired on RT and his own YouTube and Telegram channels, which have hundreds of thousand subscribers.

In February 2023, the propagandist was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison with confiscation of property for calling for the killing of Ukrainians and violent change or overthrow of the constitutional system (Part 2 of article 442 and Part 3 of Article 109 of the criminal code).

Russian General Who Coordinated Shelling of Mariupol Identified

Russian Air Force Lieutenant-General Nikolay Gostev was reported in absentia for his role in the bombing of Ukraine’s southern port city of Mariupol, which fell under Russia’s control in May 2022. According to SBU investigators in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Gostev personally participated in planning and organising Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Gostev, 60, heads the 4th Red Banner Army of the Aerospace Forces of Russia’s Armed Forces, which is stationed in Rostov-on-Don, about 165 kilometres west of Mariupol. The investigation found that between February 24 to late May 2022, he coordinated the actions of subordinate units of Russian aviation in the Donetsk region. Under his command, Russian forces shelled Mariupol with air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles as well as guided and unguided aerial bombs.

Gostev is suspected of organising military and missile attacks on the civilian population and civil infrastructure objects in the city and related district, which claimed thousands of lives, and the destruction of hundreds of items of critical infrastructure.

The suspicion, issued on July 19, accused Gostev of waging an aggressive war based on a prior conspiracy by a group of persons (Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 437 of the criminal code) and of deliberate actions to change borders territory and the state border of Ukraine, which led to the death of people and other serious consequences (Part 3 of Article 110 of the criminal code).

Russian Soldiers Identified Over Shooting of Civilians in Kyiv Region

Eleven Russian soldiers were reported in absentia for shooting and killing civilians and carrying out the “filtration” process in Kyiv region in violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 438 of the criminal code).

SBU investigators found that during the occupation of part of Kyiv region in February-March 2022, the suspects carried out “filtration” in the village of Motyzhyn and its surroundings. The group reportedly opened fire on two civilian cars carrying people who were trying to leave the then-frontline area. The civilians drove in the direction of the Russian military and had no signs of belonging to Ukraine's armed forces. Six civilians were killed in the action.

The investigation has identified the suspects as belonging to the 37th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade of Russia’s 36th Combined Arms Army. They are junior sergeant Dmytriy Galsanov, private Nikolay Bushuev, senior sergeant Valekha Yeminov, private Gennadiy Plotnikov, lieutenant Sergey Tikhonkikh, corporal Roman Igumnov, sergeant Anton Burenok, junior sergeant Vladyslav Matveev, corporal Zakhar Petrov, captain Aleksandr Rybas and senior sergeant Trokhym Ivanov.