Ukraine accuse nine servicemen from Russia’s Tuva of murdering civilians

Iryna Venediktova, the prosecutor general of Ukraine, has accused nine servicemen from Russia’s Tuva Republic of murdering civilians in Yahidne, the region of Chernihiv. Venediktova published the names of the servicemen.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE LIST OF NAMES:

• Siin-ool Suvan

• Aigarim Mongush

• Naziti Mongush

• Yeresu Oorzhak

• Arian Khertek

• Sayan Khomushko

• Ivan Oorzhak

• Chayan Chinan

• Kezhik-ool Shaktar-ool

All men belong to the same unit.

They are responsible for humiliating and murdering civilians, says Venediktova. “They forced the Yahidne residents out of their shelters and ordered them to undress in the freezing cold. They were looking for patriotic tattoos and military underwear. They took cell phones from the villagers, threatening to kill every fifth man should they find hidden phones,” Venediktova wrote.

The Tuvan soldiers forced around three hundred villagers into a school basement and used them as a human shield for twenty days. “The youngest prisoner was just six weeks old, the oldest one was 93 years of age. A total of 77 children were imprisoned in the basement. The prisoners were kept in subhuman conditions with no free room, sanitation or fresh air; they were starving and dying of thirst,” Venediktova says.

Ten prisoners did not make it out alive; another 17 villagers were executed. “The invaders did not allow the locals to bury less than five dead bodies at a time. They fired at will if the rule was violated. People had to hide inside the graves,” Venediktova added.

A portion of Ukraine’s Chernihiv region was occupied by Russia in late February. The Russian army left the region in early April; The Kremlin said the troops had retreated from North Ukraine “as a symbol of good will.” Experts say the decision was made as Russia had to focus their efforts in the southeast of the country.