On February 25, 2026, the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine served a notice of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on a Russian National Guard serviceman who threatened to shoot a civilian in the knee in Bucha.

What is known about the suspect

Nikolai Sergeyevich Yegorov (born January 13, 1985) is a citizen of the Russian Federation and a native of Kemerovo. He held the position of senior instructor — deputy commander of the 2nd Special Forces Platoon of the 4th Group of the 27th Separate Special Forces Detachment “Kuzbass” of the Siberian District of the National Guard of the Russian Federation (military unit 6607, permanently stationed in Kemerovo). His rank is warrant officer.

Circumstances of the crime

From February 27 to March 30, 2022, units of the 27th “Kuzbass” detachment, as part of the occupying forces, controlled a sector of the city of Bucha in the Kyiv region, including Chornykh Zaporozhtsiv Street and adjacent streets.

• March 22, 2022 — search of the first house

Between 09:00 and 10:00, a group of four to five armed servicemen, including Yegorov, arrived at a private household in Bucha. They were searching for a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), weapons, and individuals with pro-Ukrainian views. One of the residents — an unarmed man in civilian clothing — was in the yard.

The servicemen entered the yard, searched the house and garage, and interrogated the victim while threatening him with physical violence. During the search, they found photographs of his brother in an AFU military uniform, a hunting rifle, and personal documents.

Later, Yegorov took the man around the corner of the house. There, while wearing a protective helmet, he deliberately head-butted the victim in the face and then punched him at least twice in the abdomen.

• March 22, 2022 — search of the second house

After that, Yegorov ordered the victim to accompany the group to a neighboring house where his brother — a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — lived. Another search was conducted there: they found military uniform items but did not locate the brother.

In the afternoon, in one of the rooms of the house, Yegorov approached the victim, who was sitting on a chair, pulled out a pistol, and pressed the muzzle against his knees. “Do your knees hurt?” he asked in Russian. The man replied: “I’m not very young anymore; sometimes they do.” Yegorov continued: “I think they won’t hurt now.” The victim perceived this as a real threat to his life.

Notice of suspicion

Yegorov was notified of suspicion for cruel treatment of civilians under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

His actions constitute violations of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and Additional Protocol I and qualify as a war crime.