The SSU systemically exposes russian occupiers who committed war crimes in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine.

As a result of an investigation, the SSU identified another invader involved in mass repressions against civilians during the occupation of part of Kharkiv region.

The suspect is a military commandant of Kaliningrad garrison of the russian armed forces with the call sign ‘Granit’ who joined the occupation grouping on the eastern front at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

In March 2022, he arrived in then-occupied Balakliya and coordinated activity russian military and the ‘L/DNR’ militants in spreading the kremlin regime in the city.

Later, he was appointed ‘commandant’ there. In this ‘position’, ‘Granit’ organized illegal detentions of local residents.

On the occupier’s orders, Ukrainians were taken to a torture chamber in a seized building of a district police department.

There, victims were subjected to brutal torture and kept without food and water for a long time. Some of the captives are still missing.

SSU investigators documented that ‘Granit’ had personally interrogated illegally detained persons, using psychological and physical violence against them, threatening them with murder and forced deportation of their relatives to russia.

During Balakliya’s liberation, the occupation ‘commandant’ fled to russia, where he is hiding from justice.

Based on the evidence collected, SSU investigators declared him suspect under Articles 28.2 and 438.1 of the CCU (violation of laws and customs of war, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).

The SSU is acting to bring the offender to justice.

The SSU Office in Kharkiv region carried out the investigation under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.