The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) declared the suspicion to two generals and a lieutenant colonel of the Russian Federation, who commanded the shelling of Kherson and killed 24 civilians.
It is about:
- colonel-general Oleg Makarevich, the commander of the Dnipro group of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;
- lieutenant general Arkadiy Marzoyev, the commander of the 22nd army corps of the Black Sea Fleet of the aggressor country;
- lieutenant colonel Dmytriy Zharkikh, the commander of the 8th coastal defense artillery regiment of the 22nd army corps of coastal forces of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia.
Under their leadership, the occupiers launched a massive shelling of the regional center on May 3 this year. Then 24 civilians were killed, 51 more people were injured.
Russia hit a residential high-rise, private houses, a shopping center, a railway station, a gas station and other civilian objects.
According to the investigation, General Makarevich gave the order for the incessant shelling. General Marzoyev was engaged in the preparation of a massive attack on the regional center, and another figure — Zharkikh — directly commanded the enemy shelling.
The suspects were declared under the following articles:
- Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 2 of Art. 437 (planning, preparation, unleashing and waging of an aggressive war committed by prior conspiracy);
- Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 2 of Art. 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war, committed by a group of persons according to a prior conspiracy).