Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova said Tuesday that five Russian soldiers and three mercenaries have been charged for the gruesome murder of a Ukrainian Mayor and her family.
The alleged murders
In a Facebook post, Venediktova said that Russian soldiers and members of the Wagner Group kidnapped Mayor Olga Sukhenko of Motyzhyn, her husband and son, in March.
The mayor’s family was held and tortured for information.
Venediktova alleges that the soldiers shot the mayor’s son in front of her. In her post, the Prosecutor General wrote, “Just in front of the mother, they first shot her son in the leg and then killed him with a shot in the head. The whole family died from multiple gunshot wounds."
Russia’s war crimes
Venediktova’s office opened over 5,600 cases of alleged war crimes by Russian troops since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
A 21-year-old Russian tank commander, Vadim Shishimarin, was sentenced to life in prison Monday for killing an unarmed 62-year-old civilian in the Sumy region. Shishimarin pleaded guilty last week but said he was acting on orders.
