On May 6, 2026, the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine served a notice of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine to one of the leaders of the Donetsk Organized Crime Control Department (UBOZ), who, while serving the occupying authorities, was involved in the torture of civilians.

Who the suspect is

Volodymyr Viktorovych Zakharov (born November 18, 1982) is a native of Donetsk. His call sign is “Zakhar.”

At the time of the alleged crimes, he held the position of so-called “deputy head of the department — head of the tactical and strategic intelligence division of the organized crime control department of the ministry of internal affairs of the dnr” (“uboz mvs dnr”). This illegal formation was based on Iziumivska Street in Donetsk.

From April 2004 until November 2014, he served in the internal affairs bodies of Ukraine before being dismissed for defecting to the enemy side.

Circumstances of the crimes

Zakharov took part in the torture of at least three civilians in order to obtain information about their cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine and to force them to confess to crimes they had not committed.

• March–August 2017

Zakharov personally, and together with other representatives of the occupation authorities, beat a detained victim in Donetsk, subjected him to suffocation, kept him handcuffed with a bag over his head, and threatened him with execution by firing squad.

On his orders, subordinates applied electric current to the victim while pouring water on him to intensify the pain.

• July 2017

Another victim from Donetsk was tortured during interrogations conducted by Zakharov. During one of the interrogations, Zakharov personally struck the victim on the back of the head with a pistol grip.

• September 2017

A third victim, also detained in Donetsk, was tortured on Zakharov’s orders. Zakharov personally threatened him with a pistol and beat him with his hands, feet, and metal weights on the legs.

Notice of suspicion

Zakharov is suspected of committing a criminal offense under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — cruel treatment of the civilian population committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy.

He is accused of violating the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.

The criminal proceedings were entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under No. 42021000000002098 dated October 11, 2021.