On December 22, 2025, the Balakliia District Court of Kharkiv Region found russian FSB officer Pavel Kashyrski guilty in absentia of violating the laws and customs of war. During the occupation of the city of Balakliia in Kharkiv Region, he ordered unlawful detentions and cruel treatment of civilians.

What is known about the defendant

The defendant is Pavel Petrovich Kashyrski, born on July 29, 1992, a native of Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Region, russia. He served in an FSB unit operating within the Baltic Fleet. During the occupation of Kharkiv Region, he was stationed in Balakliia and coordinated the actions of russian forces.

The case was tried in absentia, as the defendant is currently outside the territory of Ukraine.

Criminal activities

Balakliia was under occupation from March 2 to September 11, 2022. FSB representatives deployed there to suppress any dissent established a torture site inside the local police department building.

The court found that, under Kashyrski’s orders, civilians were detained without documents or legal grounds, threatened with weapons, and forced into “cooperation.” They were held in degrading and dangerous conditions, interrogations involved psychological pressure and the use of force.

• The first victim

On April 18, 2022, russian military personnel stopped a local resident driving a Nissan Almera near the “Horgaz” building. He was detained at gunpoint, forced into a vehicle, and taken first to a basement at the Horgaz facility and later to the police department.

He was held unlawfully from April 18 to April 28. Interrogations were conducted three times, accompanied by physical force and intimidation. During questioning by the FSB officer, the victim was struck and kept with his head covered so he could not see. Other personnel reacted to the officer’s tone, escalating the violence when he changed his voice, and the officer did not intervene to stop them.

Conditions of detention were described as inhumane: no furniture, no hygiene access, restricted restroom use, and minimal food and water. The victim marked his detention dates on a wall.

• The second victim

On May 18, 2022, russian forces detained another local resident on Zhovtneva Street and took him to the same facility, where he was held from May 18 to June 7.

On June 4, he was interrogated by the same FSB officer. According to the case file, he was beaten and subjected to pain-inducing methods, including electric shocks. Other servicemen began striking him immediately after the officer’s questions, not allowing him to respond. He sustained bodily injuries. Kashyrski himself did not beat him but conducted the interrogation and wrote notes.

Conditions were similarly inhumane: a two-person cell holding 6–8 people, poorly ventilated, hot and damp, with only about one liter of water per day provided for everyone.

Both victims sought help from law enforcement after their release. Medical and psychological examinations confirmed the consequences of the abuse. Both were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from the unlawful actions of russian personnel.

The mother of one victim testified that when her son returned, he was significantly weakened and bore visible signs of mistreatment.

The verdict

The court concluded that the actions of the FSB officer constituted violations of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and their Additional Protocols.

Kashyrskyi was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — violating the laws and customs of war, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy. The sentence was issued in absentia.

He was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment. A measure of restraint — detention without bail — was applied until the verdict enters into legal force.

The verdict may be appealed within 30 days.