Security Service of Ukraine identifies Chechen soldier who led Russian punitive raids in Luhansk Oblast

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has identified a Kadyrovite [Chechen fighters under the control of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, known for their atrocities in the occupied territories and terrible attitude towards the regular army of the Russian Federation – ed.] who headed a punitive unit of Russian occupiers in Luhansk Oblast and tortured residents of the temporarily occupied territories.

Source: SSU press service

Details: According to the investigation, the man was in charge of one of the Akhmat rapid response units of Rosgvardia [National Guard of Russian Federation – ed.] in the Chechen Republic and concealed his real name under the nickname "Lobzik".

The SSU reports that the occupier organised abductions and torture of local residents during the occupation of the village of Makiivka in the Svatove district of Donetsk Oblast. This is how the invaders tried to intimidate people and suppress the resistance movement in Donetsk Oblast.

Quote: "It has been established that on 12 April last year, seven Kadyrovites under his leadership broke into the house of a local resident under the guise of a ‘clean-up’ operation in the settlement.

During the raid, the perpetrators stole the victim’s cell phones, household appliances, and money, and tied her up and took her to the village gymnasium, where they had set up a torture chamber.

There, she was forced to "confess" that she had conducted activities in favour of the Ukrainian forces. The victim was subjected to electric shocks and beaten with a metal pipe. Then she was kept handcuffed to a radiator for several hours.

Late in the evening, the Kadyrovites let the victim go home, but they threatened to kill her, demanding that she provide them with personal information about the residents of the hromada [an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories – ed.]."

More details: The SSU reports that the woman managed to escape to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Law enforcement officers gathered indisputable evidence of the guilt of the group's leader and his subordinates following the liberation of the settlement. According to the investigation, the Kadyrovite is currently stationed in the temporarily occupied city of Enerhodar, where he commands the Russian Akhmat-Neftel unit.

The Chechen soldier has been served a notice of suspicion under Article 28.2 and of Article 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of the laws and customs of war committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, as well as ordering such actions).

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