On April 28, 2026, the Chuhuiv City Court of Kharkiv Oblast convicted a russian occupier under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for torturing civilians at the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant.

Who was convicted

Anton Oleksiiovych Politov (born May 25, 1987) is a native of Orenburg, russia. He is residing in Luhansk.

At the time of the crimes, he served as a senior operative officer of the so-called “department for combating illegal drug trafficking” of the so-called “ministry of internal affairs of the LPR”.

Circumstances of the crime

Between June 5 and September 10, 2022, in temporarily occupied Vovchansk, Politov, together with russian military personnel and other militants, tortured civilians.

Russian occupiers set up a torture chamber at the premises of PJSC “Vovchansk Aggregate Plant”, where they brought people with pro-Ukrainian views and those who refused to cooperate with the occupation authorities.

The victims were unlawfully detained in inhumane conditions, beaten with rubber batons, had their nails torn out, and were tortured with electric shocks. They were also threatened with death and subjected to mock executions: their eyes were blindfolded while shots were fired from firearms near their heads. Some detainees were held for more than six months.

Politov was personally involved in the torture of at least two people — a married couple from Vovchansk.

Without any legal grounds, they were taken to the territory of the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant, where they were subjected to torture.

Politov beat the husband with a rubber baton, deliberately struck his legs, and used electric shocks against him. He also humiliated and insulted the victim because of his Ukrainian origin.

During transportation, the woman was intimidated with death threats. Politov displayed a weapon and fired shots into the air near her head.

During interrogations, he beat the woman and threatened her with execution and torture by electric shock. After being struck on the head, the victim lost consciousness.

The investigation established that the violence was used to force the couple to disclose the whereabouts of their relative.

Verdict

Politov was found guilty in absentia under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — violation of the laws and customs of war committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy.

The court sentenced him to 12 years in prison.

The court also ordered Politov to pay UAH 468,000 in moral damages to each of the two victims.

The criminal proceeding was registered in the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under No. 12023000000001511 dated August 21, 2023.