Ukraine identifies main culprit behind Bucha killings - Reuters
Evacuation from Bucha (Photo: t.me/Tsaplienko)
Ukrainian investigators have announced a new procedural step in the investigation of crimes in Bucha, identifying for the first time a Russian commander whose units were present in the city during the occupation, according to a Reuters report.
Charges against the Russian commander
Ukraine has announced that it issued a notice of suspicion to a Russian officer whom investigators link to the killings of civilians in Bucha in 2022.
According to Ukrainian authorities, this step is important for reconstructing the chain of command behind the mass killings.
After Russian forces withdrew, bodies were found on the streets and in mass graves.
Ukrainian sources report that over 450 bodies have been exhumed from such sites in Bucha, with the total number of deaths in the area estimated in the hundreds.
Ukrainian prosecutors noted that previously, suspicion notices were issued to individual Russian servicemen, but this is the first document directed at a commander.
A statement released through a legal foundation said: “The notice of suspicion served to a commander of a unit of the Russian Armed Forces marks a fundamentally important step towards justice for the systematic and large-scale war crimes committed in Bucha.”
The Kremlin, once again, called the events in the city a setup and a fake.
Lawyers name the suspect
The name of the suspect was revealed in a statement by the Global Rights Compliance Foundation. The organization stated: “The evidence shows that Yurii Vladimirovich Kim is suspected of being criminally responsible for 17 killings and four instances of ill-treatment purposely committed by forces under his command in Bucha.”
According to the foundation, Kim commanded a platoon of the 76th Air Assault Division.
Human rights groups reported that Kim has not been detained, and the Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented. Reuters was also unable to contact him directly.
Investigation findings
Human rights groups noted that the case materials include witness testimony, crime scene analysis, and information from open sources.
The statement emphasized that, according to the collected data, Kim issued orders to hunt, harm, and kill individuals, and after the killings, he allegedly ordered bodies to be burned to conceal evidence.
Ukrainian police stated that the investigation is now reaching the command level: “We have moved beyond bringing low-ranking perpetrators to account — now we are uncovering the chain of command decisions through which ordinary orders turned into mass executions of civilians.”
The foundation added that these materials could serve as a basis for further investigations aimed at determining the role of Russia’s top military leadership.
Russian authorities continue to spread disinformation about the crimes in Bucha, again attempting to portray the killings and torture of civilians, documented with evidence, as staged.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is seeking to expand the long-range capabilities of its defense forces. According to official sources, Germany is coordinating another package of military aid, including long-range systems, confirming preparations to deliver new missiles.
