11:22 05.08.2015

Russian Army General Staff Chief Gerasimov, ten Russian military servicemen suspected of involvement in Ilovaisk tragedy – SBU

2 min read
Russian Army General Staff Chief Gerasimov, ten Russian military servicemen suspected of involvement in Ilovaisk tragedy – SBU

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has placed Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, as well as ten soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces, on its wanted list as they are suspected of preparing and launching armed conflict in Ukraine.

"Separate servicemen following the orders of General Staff Chief Gerasimov organized training and triggered the conflict in the territory of our state... Well-founded accusations have been pressed against the General Staff chief, and ten military servicemen," Head of the Main Investigation Department of the SBU Hryhoriy Ostafiychuk said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He added that as part of the investigation into the crimes committed near Ilovaisk, where hundreds of Ukrainian military servicemen were killed, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Gerasimov and ten Russian servicemen, whose presence in Ukraine during the Ilovaisk events has been established, were notified of the suspicion against them. They were formally notified and appropriate responses were received, Ostafiychuk said.

According to him, at present one of the Kyiv district courts is considering a measure of restraint with respect to these people, as well as the possibility of the arrest of the Russian citizens.

As reported, several hundred Anti-Terrorist Operation soldiers were encircled by rebels and Russian servicemen in Ilovaisk in late August 2014. An investigation was launched into these events.

Investigators later said that 459 Ukrainian military personnel were killed and another 478 were injured in armed clashes outside of Ilovaisk in August-September 2014.

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