The Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police and the Office of the Prosecutor General have collected evidence against major-general Aleksandr Novikov – the head of the department for the construction and development of unmanned aerial systems at the general staff of the russian armed forces.

The SSU’s cyber team and investigators have established that the official was involved in organising large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and gas transmission system.

According to the investigation, between March and April 2024, Novikov organised a series of strikes using Geran-2 drones (a russian copy of the Shahed-136) against critical infrastructure in the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Lviv regions.

Novikov personally commanded these air strikes, issuing orders to the deputy commander of russia’s 15th separate coastal missile brigade’s coastal missile division (comprising Bastion-M systems).

Acting on the general’s instructions, russian servicemen carried out targeted drone launches against Ukrainian power stations and gas transmission system facilities.

By shelling critical infrastructure, the ruscists hoped to cut off power to Ukrainian cities and disrupt gas supplies to residential areas and social facilities in three regions simultaneously.

Based on the evidence, SSU investigators have notified Aleksandr Novikov in absentia of his status as a suspect under Article 438.1 of the CCU (violation of the laws and customs of war).

As the suspect is currently on russian territory, efforts to bring him to justice for war crimes against Ukraine are underway.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the procedural supervision of the Office of the Prosecutor General.