The Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General’s Office have documented war crimes committed by another judge of the russian federation’s Southern District Military Court involved in the unlawful detention of captured Ukrainian National Guard servicemen.

According to the investigation, the suspect is a russian citizen who, in August 2024, unlawfully sentenced a captured Ukrainian defender to 19 years in prison.

It has been established that the occupier presided over a sham trial and used fabricated charges against the defender to send him to prison.

In doing so, the russian judge grossly violated the provisions of international humanitarian law, under which the victim is a combatant in an armed conflict.

If captured, such persons acquire the status of prisoners of war and shall not be subject to imprisonment for their participation in hostilities.

Based on the evidence, SSU investigators have notified the russian judge in absentia of suspicion under Article 438.1 of the CCU (war crimes, in particular violations of Articles 99 and 130 of the Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of 12 August 1949).

As the perpetrator is currently in the russian federation, efforts are underway to bring him to justice for crimes against Ukraine.

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