Investigative Committee opened criminal cases on the facts of crimes committed by AFU fighters in Kursk region

Two criminal cases have been opened against fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and foreign mercenaries for crimes against residents of Kursk region. This was reported on Saturday, September 21, by the press service of the Main Military Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee (GVSU SK) of Russia.

"Two criminal cases have been initiated against members of the armed formations of Ukraine from the operational and tactical directorate "Seversk", the 22nd separate mechanized brigade, the 80th separate airborne assault brigade, the 61st separate mechanized brigade, as well as other Ukrainian paramilitary groups and foreign mercenary formations," the department said.

The first case was opened under part 2 of article 105, part 3 of article 30, part 2 of article 105 ("Murder or attempted murder of two or more persons, committed by an organized group, in a generally dangerous way, motivated by political and ideological hatred"), and the second - under part 3 of article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Terrorist act").

The agency said that information that Ukrainian fighters and mercenaries from France, Georgia and Poland were killing civilians in Kursk region had spread in social networks. In addition, according to the IC, the AFU military and mercenaries in early August shelled houses, civilian infrastructure and cars in Sudzha, Kursk region, from artillery guns, tank weapons and armored combat vehicles. At least two civilians were killed because of these crimes.

In mid-September, the IC said, militants and mercenaries used the same methods to shell residential buildings and civilian infrastructure where people were located in the city of Rylsk and the Rylsk district of Kursk region. Some buildings, including children's educational institutions, were booby-trapped with anti-personnel mines.

During the investigation, the IC will identify those involved in these crimes and bring all the militants to justice.

Earlier, on September 18, the Investigative Committee of Russia reported that a criminal case was opened against a mercenary of the AFU from New Zealand Jordan O'Brian for crimes in Kursk region, including murder and terrorist attack. The agency specified that the mercenary entered the Russian region on military equipment with large-caliber firearms and explosive devices. In the ranks of the Ukrainian formations, the man attacked the lives of civilians in the Kursk region and the stability of the work of the authorities.

Ukrainian militants attacked Russian positions in the border areas of Kursk Region on August 6. The operation to destroy the AFU continues. The situation in the region was recognized as a state of emergency of federal character. For the entire time of fighting in the region the AFU lost over 15.65 thousand people.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the beginning of which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the backdrop of the worsening situation in the region.