Ukraine’s Main Investigation Department of the National Police suspects a russian serviceman from the 34th brigade of the Russian Armed Forces of cruel treatment of civilians in Bucha in March 2022.

What is known about the suspect

Yevhenii Hermanovych Yeromin (born February 25, 1995) is a citizen of the russian Federation and a native of the village of Krasna Dubrava in Pavlovsky district of Altai Krai.

At the time of the crime, he served as a gunner-scout in the reconnaissance company of the 34th Separate Operational Brigade of the National Guard of russia (military unit 3671). This unit took part in the seizure of Bucha during the early days of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Circumstances of the crime

According to the investigation, Yeromin crossed the Ukrainian state border from Belarus together with russian occupation forces on February 24, 2022.

On the fourth day of the invasion, soldiers of the 34th brigade entered Bucha. Throughout March 2022 they controlled part of the city, including Mrii, Kyievo-Myrotska and Shevchenka streets and nearby neighborhoods.

At around noon on March 24, 2022, Yeromin arrived at the home of a local resident together with six armed servicemen.

After searching the house and finding mobile phones and a radio, the homeowner was detained and escorted to the intersection of Kyievo-Myrotska Street and Revolution of Dignity Street, where he was placed in a truck. Soon afterward another civilian resident of Bucha was brought there as well.

Both men were taken to a private house at 2Ye Shevchenka Street, where they were placed in the attic and their hands and feet were tied with plastic restraints.

Torture began in the attic. Yeromin personally restrained one of the victims while another soldier delivered about five electric shocks to the victim’s left leg with a stun gun.

After 10–15 minutes Yeromin returned, sat on the victim’s back and pressed him to the floor with his knee while another soldier cut the back of the victim’s right lower leg with a knife.

The men were accused of directing artillery fire and were forced to reveal the locations of Ukrainian troops.

Later that evening, the second civilian was taken to a bathroom on the first floor. There Yeromin struck him in the knee, forced him to bend over a shower cabin and held him by the neck while another soldier pressed a knife to the victim’s throat and threatened to kill him.

Suspicion

The National Police notified Yeromin in absentia of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — cruel treatment of civilians and violation of the laws and customs of war.

Investigators classified Yeromin’s actions as torture of civilians, which constitutes a grave violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949) and Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.

Both victims were protected under international humanitarian law as civilians not taking part in hostilities.