Lithuania suspects another Russian military officer of involvement in torture of civilians in Melitopol

Lithuanian law enforcement officers declared the suspicion to another Russian soldier who participated in the torture of civilians during the occupation of Melitopol (Zaporizhzhia region) in 2022. Among them was a Lithuanian citizen.

This was reported by the National Police and the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office.

The case of torture of civilians and prisoners of war by Russian soldiers in Melitopol is being jointly investigated by Ukrainian and Lithuanian law enforcement agencies.

According to the investigation, this Russian directly participated in the illegal detention, guarding, and torture of people. All this took place in a "filtration camp" set up at the Melitopol military airfield in April 2022.

One of the victims of Russian soldiers was a Lithuanian citizen who came to Melitopol on private business and had no connection to the hostilities.

In the same case, in October 2025, Ukraine, for the first time in history, handed over to Lithuania another Russian serviceman, whom Ukrainian fighters had captured in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

In Lithuania, he was suspected of war crimes, torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and violation of the Geneva Conventions.

The Russian was taken into custody for three months. He faces life imprisonment.

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