On March 30, the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) served a notice of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine to the head of a penal colony in occupied territory where Ukrainian prisoners of war were abused.

What is known about the suspect

Krasnoshchok Serhii Oleksandrovych (born July 13, 1981) is a native of the village of Karpaty, Perevalskyi district, Luhansk region.

Until February 21, 2023, he served as acting head of the so-called “Sukhodilsk correctional colony” in the temporarily occupied part of Luhansk region. From that date until January 31, 2024, he was its head.

Since 2025, he has also been a suspect in a separate criminal case on collaboration (Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Circumstances of the crimes

Krasnoshchok is accused of crimes related to the ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war between October 2022 and January 2024.

The notice of suspicion details the abuse of 17 Ukrainian POWs. Most of the victims were captured in April and May 2022, including during the defense of Mariupol and in fighting near the settlements of Zolote, Toshkivka, Komyshuvakha, and Kreminna.

As in other facilities under Russian control, violence began upon the prisoners’ arrival (the so-called “reception”) and continued throughout their detention.

The colony head both personally used violence and ordered subordinates to beat prisoners.

Beatings were carried out with rubber truncheons on various parts of the body, including the head, neck, back, chest, buttocks, and legs. Prisoners were struck multiple times—sometimes more than ten blows in a single episode. In one case, a prisoner lost consciousness after being struck on the back of the head.

During daily roll calls, Krasnoshchok forced prisoners to sing Russian songs aloud, including one about Lenin. He walked between the rows to check compliance and beat those whose singing did not satisfy him.

Krasnoshchok, aware that the detainees were prisoners of war protected under international humanitarian law, exploited their defenseless condition to carry out these acts.

Suspicion

He has been served with a notice of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — cruel treatment of prisoners of war and ordering such treatment. These acts constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and violate the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

Criminal proceedings No. 42022000000000468, opened on April 15, 2022.