Ukrainian armed forces' senior officials become defendants in criminal case opened in Russia on kidnapping, trafficking of Russians
MOSCOW. Oct 11 (Interfax) - The Russian Investigative Committee reported the investigation of a criminal case on involvement of senior officials of the Ukrainian armed forces in the kidnapping of Russians in the territory of Ukraine for the purposes of exchange for captive servicemen.
"According to investigators, unknown individuals among the top officials of the Ukrainian defense and security structures organized a criminal group for the purposes of committing especially grave crimes, such as kidnapping and further human trafficking, for financial benefit, using their authority and administrative powers, in the territory of southeastern Ukraine in the period from the beginning of hostilities, namely since April 2014," the Russian Investigative Committee press service said in a statement submitted to Interfax on Tuesday.
"Russian citizens became the target of criminal offences of the members of the group. At that, the general premise of committing the crimes included their illegal prosecution and suspended sentence, then kidnapping and illegal detention for the purposes of exchange for those Ukrainian servicemen who had been taken captive by representatives of the self-proclaimed Donbas republics," the press release said.
Due to that a criminal case under the articles 'organizing a criminal group', 'kidnapping' and 'human trafficking' of the Russian Criminal Code was opened against unknown individuals among the top officials of the Ukrainian defense and security structures.
"The criminal group bosses involved their subordinates among the employees of the regional departments of defense and security structures in it. The criminal group was marked by thorough planning of crimes, constancy in form and methods of criminal activities, strict hierarchic structure and unity," the Russian Investigative Committee said.
According to the agency, a Russian national, whose name is not being disclosed, had been detained on factitious grounds on suspicion in infringement of Ukraine's territorial integrity while staying in Ukraine in 2014. He gave confessionary evidence under threats and pressure and made a plea deal with a prosecutor, and then a court freed him from punishment placing him on probation. After that, members of the criminal group forcibly transported him to another region of Ukraine, where he is still being held illegally in a detention facility controlled by them, the Russian Investigative Committee said.
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, a similar situation took place with a Russian citizen, who stayed in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces in 2014. "He was also detained on factitious grounds on alleged suspicion of illegal passing of people through Ukraine's state border and then placed on probation. The Russian citizen was captured forcibly by members of the crime group on the same day and also placed in a so-called 'secret prison', where he was held until his exchange for Ukrainian servicemen who had been taken captive by representatives of the self-proclaimed Donbas republics," the press release said.
The Russian Investigative Committee added that the criminal case is being investigated by the directorate for investigation of crimes involving prohibited means and methods of warfare.