The SSU has collected evidence against war criminal Andrey Popov, a 54-year-old head of the ‘society for assistance to the russian army and navy’ in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

According to the investigation, Popov uses the ‘society’ for combat and ideological training of local schoolchildren for the war against Ukraine.

In this occupation institution, minors, mostly 14-year-olds, are taught to fight as part of assault groups, as well as to operate strike and reconnaissance drones.

At the ‘courses’, the students also master shooting from various types of weapons and learn to overcome mined areas.

The instructors use training grounds and centres of the russian armed forces near Simferopol for these activities.

Another component is the propaganda indoctrination of schoolchildren in the context of hatred for Ukrainian statehood.

Currently, Popov is organizing another branch of this ‘society’ on the temporarily occupied part of the territory of Zaporizhzhia region, following a directive of the russian defence minister.

The ‘official’ regularly reports on the implementation of moscow’s instructions on the kremlin’s Krym 24 and Crimea and Sevastopol News TV channels.

Popov, living in the Crimea, supported the aggressor state back in 2014, and was later appointed to the occupation administration.

Based on the evidence, SSU investigators notified him of suspicion in absentia under two Articles of the CCU:

• 438.1 (war crimes);
• 436-2.3 (justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine).

Efforts are underway to bring the criminal to justice.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Crimea Office under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office.