The SSU served suspicion notices in absentia to five russian generals who commanded the first super-heavy bomb strike on Sumy region in 2022.

The Service has collected evidence against russian war criminals who in May 2022 ordered to strike the civilian infrastructure of Sumy region with a guided aerial bomb of the UPAB-1500B type.

This was the first time that the ruscists used such a powerful munition to attack civilian targets in Sumy region.

This heavy bomb hit an agricultural complex in Putivl community, destroying several buildings of a local agricultural company and damaging the buildings of two colleges.

According to the SSU investigation, the bombing was initiated by the commander of russia’s Western military district, colonel-general Aleksander Zhuravlyov.

It was he and his first deputy, lieutenant-general Oleksiy Zavizyon, who planned the air attack on the local agricultural enterprise.

Subsequently, the commander of the russian air force, lieutenant general Sergei Dronov, received a request for an air strike from Zhuravlyov and agreed.

Then, on his orders, the occupiers took off with a Su-34 bomber from the airfield in Akhtubinsk and attacked the Ukrainian company.

The investigation also identified four other russian officials involved in the preparation and execution of the air raid.

All of them are subordinates of Dronov:

• chief of staff - first deputy commander of the russian air force, major general Sergei Meshcheryakov;
• head of the 929^th flight test centre of the russian ministry of defence (hereinafter referred to as the 929^th centre), major general Radik Bariev;
• colonel Viktor Mokhovikov, chief of staff of the 929^th centre;
• colonel Maksim Stefanov, deputy chief of the 929^th centre of the russian ministry of defence.

Based on the evidence, SSU investigators declared the seven russian servicemen suspects 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 war criminals to justice.

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