Russian Ryzhykov, who shot dead five Ukrainian soldiers in Kharkiv region, served with notice of suspicion – SSU. INTERROGATION VIDEO
Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) investigators have served Russian soldier Leonid Ryzhykov, who was detained in Kharkiv, with a notice of suspicion. On October 13, he shot dead a 60-year-old fisherman and five Ukrainian soldiers staying in a private house away from combat. He faces life imprisonment.
Censor.NET reports this, citing the SSU.
Who was detained
The suspect is a 36-year-old Russian citizen from St. Petersburg. He served in the 2nd Battalion of the 1009th Motor Rifle Regiment, 68th Motor Rifle Division, 6th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces, with the call sign "Yula".
According to the SSU, he was mobilised in late July. Before that, he had served eight years in prison for intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft. Following mobilisation, he was sent to fight in the occupied part of Chuhuiv district, Kharkiv region.
What happened
Investigators say that on October 5–6, the unit came under Ukrainian fire at Russian positions near Starytsia village in Chuhuiv district. Armed with an AK-74 assault rifle, Ryzhykov fled towards Kharkiv, hiding in tree lines. He stole civilian clothing from an abandoned private house.
- On October 13, near Mykhailivka village in Kharkiv district, he shot dead a 60-year-old local resident who was fishing at a pond, without any reason, and threw his body into the water, according to the SSU.
- That same day, Ryzhykov entered a private residential property in Momotove village, where five Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen were temporarily staying.
- According to the SSU, they were not taking part in hostilities at the time, were unarmed, and were wearing civilian clothing, meaning they were civilians within the meaning of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Some of them were asleep. He shot them all dead. He then hid the assault rifle in a house in a nearby garden allotment association.
Detention and notice of suspicion
Ryzhykov was detained on October 14 in Kharkiv’s Saltivskyi district, where he had been hiding. SSU officers carried out the detention together with the National Police and the National Guard. His weapon, an AK-74 assault rifle, was found and seized.
SSU investigators served him with a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes resulting in deaths). He faces life imprisonment. A decision on a preventive measure, including remand in custody, is pending. The pre-trial investigation continues.
