He is Lt. Col. of russia’s armed forces Anton Struyev, the commander of reconnaissance company of the reconnaissance battalion of the 15th “peacekeeping” brigade of the 2nd Guards Army of the Central Military District of the russian federation. The occupant with call sign Berkut personally ordered to execute civilians during the occupation of villages of Brovary district in Kyiv region.
The SBU collected full evidence base about the murderer who wears shoulder straps. He is suspected of violating Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, which is breaching the laws and customs of war.
The Ukrainian special service intercepted and released the conversation between the regular army officer with his subordinates.
“Berkut, it’s 23rd”, the subordinate calls his commander.
“Speak!” (foul words follow)
“A car passed to my left, and two civilians, too”.
“Just (foul words again) kill them all. If there are civilians, take them (more foul words) down – everyone!”
“Roger that!”
According to the investigation, the Ruscist did not just give criminal orders; he personally captured civilians in the villages of Mokrets and Zavorychi and tortured them. Tormenting these people, the Ruscist demanded that the villages feed him the information about Ukrainian army soldiers, fighters of territorial defence forces and local patriotic villages. On early March 22, after another round of interrogation was over, “Berkut”’s subordinates targeted a local resident. When the man turned his back on the occupiers, the same people who were fond of the songs about the “honor of russian officers” shot him in the back as ordered by Struyev, and left him to die in the street.
Fellow villagers rescued the severely wounded man who was bleeding out. He survived, recognized his killer and is now ready to testify against russian terrorists before the international court.
The Ukrainian court sentenced another Ruscist, Mikhail Kulikov, Staff Sergeant of russia’s armed forces. He is to spend 10 years behind the bars. This russian tank man destroyed a multi-story house in Chernihiv and, thus, is also charged with violating the laws and customs of war.
The indictment is based on the evidence gathered by SBU investigators. They found out that on February 24, the tank crewmember of the 35th Detached Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the russian armed forces crossed Ukraine’s state border from the Belarusian side. His tank opened fire on settlements as it made its way across Chernihiv region. In particular, the investigation found out that on February 26, 2022, Sergeant received an order from his commander and fired at the 11-story residential building in Chernihiv. The direct hit of a 125-mm high-explosive fragmentation tank shell wrecked several flats. Soon after that, the fighters of Ukraine’s Armed Forces hit the enemy tank and captured the crew. So Ruscist Mikhail Kulikov will get a fair punishment. The occupiers that damaged and destroyed more than 7,000 buildings in Chernihiv region alone will not avoid responsibility, too. That figure, in particular, includes more than a thousand multi-story living houses; almost 5,500 private houses, 216 education institutions, 74 medical establishments, 45 cultural institutions and 183 housing facilities.
