The Security Service of Ukraine has documented the crimes of Artem Sharlay, the head of the ‘department for work with religious organisations’ of russia’s administration in the temporarily occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region.

In 2024, he became putin’s ‘trusted representative’ in the occupied city of Melitopol during russia’s presidential elections.

The investigation revealed that he is implicated in the mass repression of local religious communities who resist the kremlin regime or refuse to join the dioceses of the russian orthodox church.

Sharlay was authorised by the local gauleiter to compile lists of pro-Ukrainian parishioners for russian federal security service.

The enemy uses these ‘reports’ to carry out raids against the clergy and their parishioners in the lists.

During these raids, the ruscists abduct people in broad daylight in the street or from their homes and imprison them in occupation jail.

There, the victims are subjected to brutal torture, ranging from constant beatings to suffocation by having plastic bags placed over their heads.

In this way, the enemy is trying to coerce religious communities into supporting ruscism.

It has been identified that, as far back as 2014, Sharlay supported russian-controlled terrorist groups in eastern Ukraine. After the onset of the full-scale war, he joined the ranks of the occupation administration in Melitopol.

SSU investigators have now notified Sharlay, in absentia, of his status as a suspect under Article 438.1 of the CCU (war crimes).

Efforts to bring him to justice are underway.

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