The SSU and the Prosecutor General’s Office have collected evidence against a russian war criminal involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children during the occupation of Mykolaiv region.

He is the commander of the unit in the 205^th separate motorized rifle brigade of the russian armed forces, Dzhabrail Yusupov, call sign ‘Gabriel’.

According to the investigation, 20 armed russian servicemen under his command broke into the premises of a special school in the then-occupied Novopetrivka in July 2022 and abducted 15 students.

The children, together with the director of the institution and her husband, were first taken to the Crimea. From there, they were transported, escorted by the occupiers, to Anapa, Krasnodar krai, russia.

There, the deportees were held for almost a month in a local boarding house. During their stay, the children were forced to sing the russian anthem every morning.

In November 2022, with the help of a charitable organization, the deportees were taken out of russia to third countries to be returned home.

Based on the evidence collected, SSU investigators notified Yusupov of suspicion in absentia under Articles 28.2, 438.1 of the CCU (violation of laws and customs of war, committed by a group upon prior conspiracy).

Efforts are underway to bring him to justice for his crimes against Ukrainians.

Earlier, the SSU identified that the occupation ‘deputy head of the youth and sports department of Kherson region’ and his accomplice had participated in the deportation of children from Mykolaiv region.

The investigation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.