On February 16, the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Dnipropetrovsk region served three russian generals in absentia with notices of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine over artillery shelling of Nikopol and Marhanets in 2022.
Background on the suspects
Sergey Vladimirovich Surovikin (born October 11, 1966), a native of Novosibirsk and a citizen of the russian federation, served from July to September 2022 as commander of the “South” grouping of russian forces.
Denis Ihorevich Lyamin (born May 19, 1979), a native of Slutsk, Belarus, and a russian citizen, was at the time commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District.
Sergey Viktorovich Medvedev (born October 22, 1979), a native of Prague, then Czechoslovakia, and a russian citizen, served as Chief of Staff of the 58th Airborne Brigade at the time of the crimes.
Circumstances of the alleged crimes
The investigation established that in the summer of 2022, under Surovikin’s command, systematic artillery strikes were carried out against civilian infrastructure and residential areas in the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Lyamin was responsible for directing the fire strikes, while Medvedev oversaw the planning of fire missions.
No later than July 2022, the headquarters of the “South” grouping developed and approved a fire plan targeting the territory of Nikopol district, which formed the basis for a series of combat orders signed by Surovikin.
To carry out the orders, units of the 58th Motorized Rifle Brigade, as well as artillery regiments and battalions stationed near Kamianka-Dniprovska, Vodiane, and Enerhodar in the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region, were involved. The primary weapons used were 122 mm BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems.
According to investigators, the strikes targeted civilian objects, including residential buildings, enterprises, hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and public utilities.
The investigation documented ten specific episodes:
- July 18, 2022, around 00:03 — shelling of civilian infrastructure and residential buildings in Nikopol. One civilian was injured. Dozens of apartment buildings and private houses were damaged on Khersonska, Trubnykiv, Slovianska, Lapinska and other streets. The blood transfusion station of Nikopol City Hospital No. 4 was damaged.
- July 20, 2022, around 02:30 — shelling of residential areas of Nikopol. Two civilians were killed and eight injured with shrapnel wounds, fractures and bruises. Numerous houses were damaged on Mykhailo Hrushevskoho, Kobzariv, Heroiv Chornobylu, Beloruska and other streets.
- July 22, 2022, between 00:18 and 04:40 — massive shelling of civilian infrastructure, enterprises, municipal facilities and residential buildings in Nikopol. One civilian was killed. Damaged sites included the Nikopol Medical Center for Children’s Rehabilitation, a branch of Ukrrichflot, and dozens of houses.
- July 30, 2022, 02:35–02:37 — shelling of residential buildings in Nikopol. Houses on Lisova, Stepan Razin, Konotopska and Mayakovskoho streets were damaged.
- July 31, 2022, 02:29–02:33 — strike on civilian infrastructure, enterprises and educational institutions in Nikopol. Two civilians were wounded. Damaged sites included School No. 8, a territorial service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and several enterprises.
- August 4, 2022, at about 01:29 — shelling of residential buildings in Nikopol. Buildings on Paromna, Kamianska, Suvorova, Lapinska and other streets were damaged.
- August 10, 2022, around 01:00 — strike on Marhanets. Ten civilians were killed and seven injured, including a person with severe head trauma, open fractures, visual impairment and traumatic amputation of fingers. Secondary School No. 11, administrative buildings and dozens of apartment blocks were damaged.
- August 10, 2022, 22:55–23:50 — night shelling of Nikopol and Nikopol district. Three civilians were killed. Residential buildings were damaged, including Gymnasium No. 9 and Lyceum No. 4.
- August 13, 2022, at about 04:16 — shelling of residential buildings in Nikopol. Houses on Knyazhna, Rapikovska and Zhyhulivska streets were damaged.
- August 22, 2022, 00:15–04:28 — shelling of state institutions, municipal facilities, enterprises and residential buildings in Nikopol. Three civilians were injured. Damaged sites included the Kalynka kindergarten, Nikopol City District Court, Gymnasium No. 20, City Hospital No. 4 and a Varus supermarket.
Legal classification
The investigation classifies the actions of Surovikin, Lyamin and Medvedev under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (as in force in 2022) — violations of the laws and customs of war.
Investigators state that the suspects deliberately targeted civilians and civilian objects without distinguishing between military objectives and residential areas. Such conduct constitutes indiscriminate attacks prohibited under international humanitarian law. Given the resulting fatalities, the charges include intentional homicide.
