The SSU has collected irrefutable evidence of war crimes committed by:

• Ramzan KADYROV, head of the Chechen Republic, russia;
• Daniil MARTYNOV, deputy head of the directorate of the federal service of the national guard of russia in the Chechen Republic;
• Huseyn MEZHYDOV, commander of the tactical group of the 249th separate motorized battalion South of the 46th separate operational brigade of the north caucasus district of the national guard of russia.

The investigation documented that in February-March 2022 Kadyrov personally ran preparation and planning of some of the military operations of these units, gave orders and received reports of their commanders.

Daniil Martynov had served in the FSB’s special purpose unit in the past. Now, he is in charge of Kadyrov’s personal security, after he refused to be protected by the FSB.

The investigation established that on March 5, 2022, Martynov personally commanded the capture of Borodyanka Psychoneurological Hospital with a geriatric unit. On his orders:

• almost 500 people (patients, staff, and local residents) were taken hostage, including over 100 bedridden patients;
• approaches to the building were mined, and the hospital was turned into the occupiers’ firing position.

On the order of another person close to the head of Chechnya, Huseyn Mezhydov, almost 200 residents of Hostomel were taken hostage and held in the basements of high-rise buildings from February 25 to March 13.

Among the victims are women, elderly people and children. Those prisoners who died, unable to withstand the inhuman conditions of detention (dampness, cold, lack of water, food and medicine), were buried right there, near the buildings.

Both ‘military officials’ are accused of:

• unlawful detention of civilians;
• violation of rules of treatment of civilian population;
• using civilians as a ‘human shield’.

Huseyn Mezhydov is also accused of robbing civilians and facilities.

SSU investigators have notified Kadyrov of suspicion under three articles of the CCU:

• 437.2 (planning, preparation, unleashing and waging an aggressive war);
• 110.3 (deliberate actions aimed at changing the borders of Ukraine in violation of the Constitution of Ukraine, which have led to death of people and other serious consequences);
• Article 436-2.3 (justification, recognition of russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine that started in 2014 as legitimate, justification, recognition of the temporary occupation of part of Ukraine’s territory as legitimate, as well as glorification of persons who carried out russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine that started in 2014).

Daniil Martynov and Huseyn Mezhydov are charged under Article 438.1 of the CCU (violation of laws and customs of war, cruel treatment of POWs or civilian population).

The investigation is ongoing to identify and investigate other crimes committed by the persons in question.

The pre-trial investigation was carried out by the SSU Main Investigative Directorate with operational support of the SSU Main Directorate for Countering Systemic Threats to State Administration and the National Police under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The SSU will continue to systematically document crimes of the russian occupation army.