The law enforcement officers informed 36-year-old Luhansk native Dmytro Katkalov with the call sign "Akademik" about the suspicion of murdering childrenʼs writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, a member of the anti-terrorist operation, and two more civilians from the Izyum district during the occupation.
This is stated in the text of the suspicion published on the website of the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office.
According to the investigation, Katkalov, together with two other suspects — Vladyslav Neskorodyev and Serhiy Udodenko (callsigns "Lev" and "Odod"), another military man named Kyrylo with the callsign "Kiryan" and other, yet to be identified occupants, kidnapped Vakulenko from the house March 22, 2022.
The investigation believes that Katkalov, together with other occupiers, tried to persuade Vakulenko to cooperate, but they were refused. After that, they beat and later shot Vakulenko. Katkalov is also believed to be involved in the murder of a member of the ATO [anti-terrorist operation] and two local residents.
Katkalov is suspected of cruel treatment of the civilian population in combination with intentional killing and other violations of the laws and customs of war.
- Volodymyr Vakulenko is a laureate of the International Literary Award named after Oles Ulyanenko, the All-Ukrainian Contest named after Les Martovych, and the international contest "Coronation of Words". He was awarded the "Silver Trident" honor for the 20th anniversary of the Independence of Ukraine for his literary achievements in 2011. He is the author of such books as "Monogram" (2008), "You...not" (2011), "Sunny Family" (2011), "We, Province!"(2012), "Daddyʼs Book" (2014).
- The Russians killed Vakulenko during the occupation of Izyum. His body was found in a mass grave already after the liberation of the city from the Russians.
- In November 2023, investigators declared the suspicion of the Russian military against Neskorodyev and Udodenko in the murder of Vakulenko.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.