The Main Directorate of the National Police in Kherson region has identified four members of occupation law enforcement bodies involved in the torture of Kherson residents in 2022. On March 31, 2026, they were notified of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

What is known about the suspects

• Mykola Serhiiovych Kononenko (born May 4, 1992) is a native of Velyki Kopani village, Kherson region. No later than June 2022, he voluntarily joined the occupation police, taking a position in the so-called Dniprovskyi City Police Department, set up by russian forces in the seized Kherson Police Department No. 1 at 29 Zalaegerseg Street. He worked for the occupiers until Kherson was liberated on November 11, 2022.
• Vladyslav Oleksiiovych Kriakvin (born May 24, 1981) is a native of Voronezh, russia, and lived in Snihurivka, Mykolaiv region. No later than July 17, 2022, he took the position of “investigator” in the so-called Dniprovskyi City Police Department. In 2024, an indictment against him was referred to court under Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (collaboration).
• Maksym Oleksandrovych Larin (born November 27, 1981) is a native of Zaporizhzhia. He is an officer of the russian federal security service (fsb); his exact position and rank have not been established. In 2023, an indictment against him was referred to court under Articles 111 (high treason) and 408 (desertion) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
• Maksym Pavlovych Puliaiev (born March 7, 1981) is a native of Dariivka village, Kherson region. No later than June 8, 2022, he voluntarily took a position in the so-called Dniprovskyi City Police Department. He served as a duty officer.

Circumstances of the crimes

According to investigators, during the occupation of Kherson all four supported the occupation regime and took part in detentions, unlawful imprisonment, and interrogations of civilians at one of the seized police stations.

At least three people were affected by their actions.

• The first victim

On June 28, 2022, occupation police detained an employee of the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre. He was taken to the police station set up by the occupiers, where Kononenko demanded that he confess to theft.

When the man refused, Kononenko punched him in the torso and kidneys, and then staged a mock execution by pressing a gun to the victim’s temple.

Under torture, the victim signed a document without being allowed to read it and was later released.

• The second victim

On July 17, 2022, russian military personnel detained a local resident and took him to the occupation police, where he was handed over to Kriakvin and two unidentified members of russian armed formations.

The man was held for nearly two months. During interrogations, they attempted to extract information about the location of state-owned property, using physical violence and humiliation.

According to investigators, the victim had a rope placed around his neck and was strangled while being repeatedly beaten. One of the servicemen, in Kriakvin’s presence, pressed a gun to the victim’s knee, threatening to shoot him. The man’s arm was also broken by placing it on a table and pressing down on it with a knee.

Eventually, the victim was forced to disclose his address and information about property, after which he was held in custody until mid-September 2022.

• The third victim

On September 8, 2022, unidentified individuals unlawfully seized a car belonging to a Kherson resident in the Skhidnyi neighborhood. He felt unwell and called an ambulance, but paramedics took him to a police station instead of a hospital.

There, Puliaiev and an unidentified occupier began beating the man with a rubber truncheon and kicking him without explanation.

The victim was then handcuffed to a metal grate in the corridor for two days, where he was held without food, adequate water, or sleep.

The following day, Larin demanded that the victim sign documents stating that the car had not been stolen. When he refused, Larin slapped him, struck his legs several times with a rubber truncheon, and cut his chin with metal handcuffs.

Under pressure, the victim signed the documents but was released only on September 10.

Suspicion

All suspects are charged with cruel treatment of civilians and violations of the laws and customs of war committed by a group acting in prior conspiracy (Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Two of them are also charged with holding positions in незаконних law enforcement bodies (Part 7 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).