Wagnerites confess to shooting children: Prosecutor's General office launches investigation

Ukrainska Pravda
Updated ·2 min read
10

The Prosecutor General's Office is investigating information about crimes committed by members of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), who confessed to shooting Ukrainian children on video.

Source: Press service of the Prosecutor General's Office

Quote: "One of the Telegram channels posted an interview with members of the so-called Wagner PMC, during which they reported the killing of civilians, including children, as well as prisoners of war [that were soldiers – ed.] of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations registered the facts under Art. 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – violation of the laws and customs of war. The circumstances mentioned in the interview will be checked as part of the investigation of criminal proceedings, and they will be given an appropriate legal assessment."

Details: The Prosecutor General's Office also reported that they are investigating the actions of Wagner Group members who are participating in hostilities on the side of the Russian Federation. They are being investigated for involvement in the conduct of aggressive war, encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and war crimes in the occupied territory of Ukraine: murder, ill-treatment of prisoners of war and civilians, and robberies.

Notices of suspicion of waging an aggressive war and encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine (Art. 437, Art. 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) were served on the head of the Wagner PMC and the head of one of its units; as well as on individual members, on the facts of murder and cruel treatment of civilians (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The Prosecutor General's Office emphasised that law enforcement agencies of foreign countries are involved in the investigations.

Background: 

  • On 17 April, a Russian project posted a video of prisoners from Wagner Group confessing to murders of Ukrainian children in Bakhmut and Soledar. According to one of the killers, 15-year-old unarmed Ukrainians "can hardly be called civilians".

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!