The identities of five more Russian officers involved in the killings of civilians in Bucha have been established, reports the British newspaper The Sunday Times.
In total, independent lawyers and investigators have identified 13 Russian army commanders considered by the investigation to be responsible for war crimes, according to the publication.
The names of eight servicemen had previously been made public, while five more are being named for the first time. They include:
-
Major General Vadim Pankov – commanded the 45th Air Assault Brigade. He is believed to have ordered the execution of 30 Bucha residents and forced other civilians to remove the bodies of dead Russian soldiers.
-
Colonel General Valery Solodchuk – soldiers under his command were involved in atrocities in Bucha.
-
Colonel Yuri Medvedev – his subordinates allegedly committed over 40 rapes. According to journalists, Medvedev was killed by mutinous Russian soldiers in 2022.
-
Colonel Andrei Kondrov, commander of the 5th Tank Brigade – commanded troops involved in looting and the killing of civilians in Bucha.
-
Colonel Sergey Karasev – according to the report, he personally shot and killed a civilian.
The town of Bucha, located about 30 kilometers from Kyiv, became infamous after Russian forces withdrew in 2022, leaving behind numerous bodies of civilians. Survivors reported mass executions carried out by Russian troops, as well as widespread torture and looting.
The Russian government has denied that its military was involved in crimes against civilians, accusing Kyiv of staging the events. In Russia, those who question the Ministry of Defense’s version face criminal prosecution under laws on “fake news” and “discrediting the Russian army.”
