On February 10, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Ukraine’s Sumy region formally notified a russian intelligence officer of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for allegedly shooting an unarmed Ukrainian soldier in Okhtyrka on February 24, 2022, after he had surrendered.

What is known about the suspect

Artem Viktorovich Skvortsov (born January 27, 1987) is a native of Lipetsk and is registered in Nizhny Novgorod. At the time of the incident, he was a captain and deputy commander of the 1st Special Forces Company of a reconnaissance battalion.

He served in the 96th Separate Reconnaissance Brigade (military unit 52634) of the 1st Tank Army, Western Military District, of the russian Armed Forces.

Circumstances of the crime

On the first day of russia’s full-scale invasion, February 24, 2022, at about 12:40 p.m., a unit of the 96th Reconnaissance Brigade was moving along Tankistiv Kantemyrivtsiv Street in Okhtyrka in armored vehicles.

Around 1:00 p.m., soldiers of the 154th Separate Territorial Defense Battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the russian vehicles. As a result, two of them were forced to stop near the Avias gas station on Kyivska Street.

Approximately 15 russian servicemen led by Skvortsov abandoned the damaged vehicles and retreated to a nearby forest, where they took up defensive positions.

Later that day, no later than 2:00 p.m., a group of Ukrainian servicemen from military unit A7320 in Okhtyrka began searching for the russian troops. Due to difficult conditions, the group decided to return. One serviceman — recently mobilized, dressed in civilian clothes but carrying his service rifle — chose to continue the search alone.

No later than 4:00 p.m., he encountered an ambush in a forest area allegedly commanded by Skvortsov. russian soldiers reportedly threatened him with firearms and ordered him to drop his rifle.

He laid down his weapon and surrendered.

Under Articles 41 and 44 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, he thereby acquired the status of a person hors de combat and the protections afforded to prisoners of war. Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention requires that prisoners of war be treated humanely.

However, according to investigators, Skvortsov, together with an unidentified russian serviceman, allegedly shot the unarmed Ukrainian soldier at the scene.

Investigators say the suspect was aware of the soldier’s protected status under international humanitarian law.

Suspicion

Skvortsov has been notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — violations of the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder committed by a group of persons.

The charge carries a possible sentence of life imprisonment.

Authorities are continuing efforts to identify the second russian serviceman allegedly involved.