Russia`s Investigative Committee said on Wednesday it has opened a criminal case against Ukraine`s defense minister and the General Staff chief over the artillery shelling of civilians in Donbas, according to Russian news agency TASS.
”The investigators have received enough data that the illegal actions against the civilians were carried out upon the order of the top military leadership of Ukraine,” the IC said, TASS reports.
A criminal case has been opened into the use of prohibited means of warfare.
Criminal charges have been filed against Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, Chief of General Staff Viktor Muzhenko, Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Serhiy Popko, former Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Anatoliy Pushniakov and the Commander of Ukraine`s National Guard Yuriy Allerov.
Russia`s Investigative Committee is currently conducting an investigation into the illegal use of prohibited means of warfare by Ukraine`s armed forces in the country`s southeast. Investigators have obtained facts that the Ukrainians have repeatedly violated the ceasefire regime in the region this year.
On Monday, Ukrainian Chief Prosecutor Yuri Lutsenko told reporters the Prosecutor General`s Office of Ukraine has opened a criminal case against Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and 17 other high-ranking officials.
