The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has collected an evidentiary base on five high-ranking officials of the Armed Forces of Russia who organized an air strike on the civilian infrastructure of the city of Kryvyi Rih on June 13, 2023.
On its Telegram channel on Wednesday, the Ukrainian special service notes that at that time, an apartment building, educational institutions, a food base, and other private enterprises came under Russian shelling. As a result of the attack, 13 local residents died, and more than 30 civilian citizens received injuries of various degrees of severity.
According to SBU data, to carry out the air attack, Russia used Kh-101 strategic cruise missiles, which were fired from Russian bomber aircraft – Tu-95MS.
"As the investigation established, the planning and preparation of the shelling were carried out by: Army General Sergei Surovikin – at that time commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces of Russia, who approved the launching of the missile strike on civilian objects of Kryvyi Rih; Lieutenant General Sergei Dronov – deputy commander-in-chief of the Aerospace Forces of Russia – determined the targets for the use of missile weapons; Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash – commander of long-range aviation of the Aerospace Forces of Russia – directed a combat order to shell civilian objects," the message of the Ukrainian special service reads.
In addition, according to the information of the agency, involved in this attack are Colonel Nikolai Varpakhovich – commander of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of Russia – directed a combat order to hit civilian targets; Colonel Oleg Skitsky – commander of the 121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment of Russia – ensured the launching of the missile strike on civilian objects.
Based on the collected evidence, investigators of the Security Service in absentia served all five individuals with a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war that led to the death of people, committed by a prior conspiracy by a group of persons).
The investigation was conducted by employees of the Main Directorate of the SBU in Dnipropetrovsk region under the procedural guidance of the regional prosecutor’s office.
