Russian Soldiers Charged with War Crimes Against an American in Ukraine: Latest Developments
Four Russian soldiers face war crime charges in US federal court for their involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, targeting an American resident Court documents from Virginia reveal the serious allegations
Four Russian soldiers have been indicted for war crimes against an American resident in Ukraine during the Russian invasion, following the unsealing of a groundbreaking indictment in federal court in Virginia on Wednesday. This marks the first instance of the US government invoking a long-standing law designed to prosecute individuals responsible for war crimes against American citizens.
The four Russian soldiers, Suren Seiranovich Mkrtchyan, Dmitry Budnik, V Alerii Lnu and Nazar Lnu, are facing multiple charges, including unlawful confinement, conspiracy to commit war crimes, inhuman treatment and torture. According to Attorney General Merrick Garland, these charges mark a significant step towards holding those responsible for the illegal war in Ukraine accountable.
"The United States Department of Justice has filed charges under the US war crimes statute against four Russia-affiliated military personnel for heinous crimes against an American citizen, marking the first-ever charges of this nature," Garland announced at a press conference on Wednesday. FBI Director Christopher Wray noted that while this is the first time individuals have been charged under the war crimes statute, the bureau has previously investigated and prosecuted war crimes perpetrators."
"The FBI is deeply affected by the human suffering caused by the conflict in Ukraine and is committed to holding war criminals accountable, no matter their location or the passage of time," stated Wray at the press conference on Wednesday.
Based on the indictment, Russian soldiers forcefully took the American from his residence in the Ukrainian village of Mylove. Allegedly, the soldiers subjected the American to violent beatings and torture at a Russian military facility where he was held for 10 days in April 2022.
The Russian soldiers reportedly abducted the American, stripped him naked, bound his hands behind his back, and repeatedly assaulted him with their fists, feet, and gun stocks.
During his unlawful detention by the Russian soldiers, the American was purportedly subjected to torture by the four accused individuals and other unidentified co-defendants in at least two interrogation sessions. The indictment states that he was stripped, severely beaten, and photographed.
Two Russian Armed Forces commanding officers and two lower-ranking members of the Russian army have been accused of committing war crimes against an American in Ukraine, as revealed in the unsealed indictment on Wednesday. The indictment specifies that the American was a protected person under the Geneva Convention of 1949 and was not engaged in combat during the war, although the American's identity is not disclosed in the document.
After the American was evacuated from Ukraine in the summer of 2022, where he resided with his wife, he recounted the suffering he experienced to investigators from the US Department of Homeland Security, as reported by Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Mayorkas revealed that federal agents had traveled abroad to interview the victim's family.
Mayorkas stated that they interviewed individuals who were in the area near Mylove at the time of the victim's captivity and confirmed the presence of Russian forces in the area. With the information obtained, the HSI agents and FBI partners were able to identify the four defendants whose indictments were announced.
The Russian soldiers allegedly threatened to kill the American during his captivity, at times pointing guns to his head and a knife to his throat. They also subjected the American to a "mock execution" by forcing him to the ground, putting a gun to the back of his head, and shooting a bullet just past his head, according to the indictment.
The indictment states that the American was also threatened with sexual assault. When his answers failed to satisfy the Russian soldiers, some threatened him with death and asked for his last words. Additionally, the American was forced to labor, digging trenches for the Russian military, according to the indictment. Garland said, "Again and again he believed he was going to die," when referring to the American allegedly tortured by Russian soldiers.
"Amidst the conflict, Ukrainian prosecutors and investigators have courageously sought justice for the Ukrainian people," Garland stated. "In due time, the United States and our allies will ensure that Russia is held accountable."
The attorney general confirmed on Wednesday that his department is continuing to investigate additional possible war crimes perpetrated by the Russian military.
"This is our first, and you should expect more," he said of the newly unsealed case.
This story has been updated with additional information.
