Kadyrov fighter who tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war to be tried in Ukraine

This was reported by the Security Service and the Prosecutor General's Office.

It is noted that the suspect was Colonel Zelimkhan Agmerzoyev, commander of the 3rd company of the police regiment of the Federal Department of Non-Departmental Protection of the Rosgvardia troops in the Chechen Republic.

Agmerzoyev, together with other military officers under his command, organized a place in the Melitopol district to hold prisoners of war and civilians taken hostage. For this purpose, they arranged an inspection pit for cars in one of the garages located in the village of Radisne, Melitopol district.

On his orders, the Russians brutally tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians in the occupied settlements. During the torture, he personally called the victims' close relatives and demanded money from them to stop the physical abuse of prisoners.

Law enforcement officers found that Agmerzoyev demanded UAH 500,000 from the wife of an Armed Forces soldier who was captured by the Russian troops during the fighting on the southern front. In case of non-payment of money, he threatened to maim and kill the man.

In addition, the Kadyrov fighter demanded USD 20,000 dollars from the relatives of two abducted residents of the district. In exchange for this amount, he promised to stop the abuse and let the victims go home.

Based on the collected evidence, the SBU investigators served Agmerzoyev a notice of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy). Comprehensive measures to bring him to justice for crimes against Ukraine are underway.

For reference: Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and shall not be criminally punished until his or her guilt is proved by law and established by a court verdict of guilt.

• As of November 17, 2022, according to the National Police, the bodies of 991 civilians have been found in the territories of the Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions liberated from the Russian troops.

• The ZMINA Human Rights Center described how Russians in the Kherson region tortured women in detention centers - the Russian arsenal included beatings, strangulation, electric shocks, and other forms of violence.

• The Kherson Prosecutor's Office announced suspicions to three Russian Guards who brutally tortured civilians during the occupation of Kherson.