Cyber specialists, investigators, and Military Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, have collected evidence against the command of the russian armed forces who organised an airstrike on Kharkiv on 23 May 2024.

The investigation established that the ruscists deliberately targeted the largest printing enterprise in Ukraine using three guided missiles from a medium-range S-300 surface-to-air missile system.

As a result of the attack, 7 civilians were killed, and 9 others sustained injuries of varying severity.

The strike also damaged the printing complex’s production and storage facilities, as well as its printing equipment. A large quantity of educational materials was destroyed, including school textbooks, notebooks, and teaching aids.

According to the investigation, the decision to strike the printing company was made by colonel general Aleksey Kim, chief of staff – first deputy commander of the joint grouping of forces of the russian armed forces in Ukraine.

It was established that the initiative to include the civilian enterprise in the list of airstrike targets came from his subordinate, colonel Sergey Monetov, deputy chief of staff for intelligence.

On Kim’s orders, preparations for the missile strike were carried out by vice admiral Aleksander Peshkov, head of the fire planning and coordination centre of the joint grouping of forces of the russian armed forces in Ukraine.

The direct order to launch the missiles from the territory of Belgorod region was given by lieutenant general Andrey Tsyganov, chief of staff of the russian air and missile defence forces.

It was also established that the missile launches were conducted by personnel of special tactical missile group № 3, formed on the basis of the 568^th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the 76^th air defenсe division of the 14th air force and air defenсe army of russia’s central military district.

Based on the collected evidence, SSU investigators have issued notices of suspicion in absentia to all four individuals under Article 438.2 of the CCU (violation of the laws and customs of war resulting in loss of life).

Efforts to bring these enemy commanders to justice are underway.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Kharkiv Office in cooperation with the SSU Military Counterintelligence Department and in coordination with the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, under the procedural supervision of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.