On January 13, the Kholodnohirsky District Court of Kharkiv sentenced Russian soldier Sergei Tuzhilov to life imprisonment for the murder of three Ukrainian soldiers who had been captured at the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant in the summer of 2024.

About the Convict

36-year-old Sergei Tuzhilov, call sign "Altai," served as a junior sergeant in the 82nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the Russian Army. He had two prior convictions in Russia—for robbery and drug trafficking.

During Russia’s repeated offensive in the Kharkiv region, Tuzhilov commanded a grenade launcher unit and also acted as deputy commander of a group stationed at the captured Vovchansk Aggregate Plant from May to September 2024.

Criminal Acts

• First Incident – June 2024

On June 16, a Ukrainian soldier operating a grenade launcher became disoriented in the combat zone and accidentally entered Russian positions. Unarmed and outnumbered, he was forced to surrender.

After being interrogated by Tuzhilov and other Russian forces, the information was relayed to their command. An order was issued to execute the prisoner.

Tuzhilov oversaw the execution: he selected the shooter from among his subordinates, gave detailed instructions, determined the location at the plant checkpoint, and provided cover during the killing. The Ukrainian soldier was shot in the head with an assault rifle.

• Second and Third Incidents – July 2024

In early July, two more Ukrainian soldiers were captured during fighting near Vovchansk. They were taken to a factory and tied to poles in a room referred to by the occupiers as the “admin room.”

After interrogation, Tuzhilov passed the information to his commander, who ordered the prisoners killed, reportedly saying: “Send them to Bandera.”

Tuzhilov actively participated in the executions. Together with a soldier with the call sign "Kot," he planned that each would kill one prisoner. On July 3, the two Ukrainian soldiers were led to a utility room on the plant grounds and shot in the back of the head. Their bodies were left at the scene.

Detention and Trial

On September 24, 2024, Ukrainian Defence Intelligence captured Tuzhilov along with other Russian soldiers during a successful operation to retake the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant.

On January 13, 2026, the Kholodnohirsky District Court found Tuzhilov guilty of cruel treatment of prisoners of war and premeditated murder carried out in coordination with others. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The court rejected the defense argument that Tuzhilov was compelled to follow orders, stating that executing an obviously criminal order does not exempt one from responsibility.

The verdict will take effect after the appeal period expires. Investigations are ongoing to identify senior Russian commanders who gave the orders to commit these war crimes.