A group of military personnel in Kharkiv has been implicated in the torture of civilians, coercing them into signing documents that renounce their military deferments. The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) has announced charges against several members of a local military recruitment center.
The investigation revealed that the military operatives, masquerading as Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents, forcibly entered private residences. In one incident, footage released by the DBR shows a soldier kneeling a man and pointing a firearm at his head.
Another victim was confined in an apartment after soldiers forcibly entered by breaking down the door and firing shots, resulting in a gunshot wound. He was then dragged out along with another civilian and taken to the recruitment center.
At the center, the men were held for an extended period, subjected to beatings, threats of gun violence, and pressured to provide information sought by their captors.
One victim was coerced into signing a document waiving his right to military deferment. Eventually, one of the men was released after the illegal actions, while the other managed to escape.
The DBR has identified six individuals involved in these actions, who acted in concert according to a prearranged plan. Among those accused is a major from the recruitment center, who held a leadership position and oversaw the actions of other soldiers.
The major enlisted personnel from the center’s security unit as well as soldiers tasked with recruiting candidates for military service during mobilization.
Additionally, during these so-called “searches,” the military personnel falsely identified themselves as SBU agents, using weapons and physical force to compel civilians to confess to alleged drug-related crimes.
The DBR has charged the suspects with torture committed by a group acting in conspiracy, with potential imprisonment of up to ten years. The investigation is ongoing to ascertain all circumstances surrounding the incidents.
In Kharkiv, a group of military personnel has been charged with torturing civilians to force them into renouncing military deferments. The ongoing investigation by the DBR has uncovered multiple instances of abuse and coercion.