Ukraine's Security Service identifies alleged adjusters of Russian attack on Hroza

This is reported by the Prosecutor General's Office.

"Law enforcement officers have identified the persons who launched a Russian missile at a civilian facility. They were two brothers - 23-year-old and 30-year-old residents of the village of Hroza, who fled to the territory of the Russian Federation before the de-occupation of the Kharkiv region," the statement says. 

The investigation found that the brothers, who had previously served in the police, betrayed Ukraine in 2022, when the village of Shevchenkove, Kupyansk district, came under occupation. They joined the pseudo-government. When the village was liberated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, they fled to Russia and continued to work for the enemy.

Police identification card of the suspects with the Russian coat of arms, issued by the so-called temporary administration of the Kharkiv region 

Photo: the Prosecutor General's Office

The offenders collected and passed on important information to them. To do this, the brothers kept in touch with their former neighbors and obtained the necessary data from them. People did not suspect that the brothers were actually engaged in sabotage against Ukraine during their conversations.

Photo: a screenshot from the messenger

- Hello everyone
- Thank you. Same to you.
- Who said it would be loud?
- We are not the least people in this war.
- I got it. Silence??? Silence???
- No news.
- Got it. We're waiting. I'll feel sorry for the diner. And do you know who the important people are inviting to the party?
- No. Sputnik (the name of the cafe - ed.) All my young days were spent there 

- Tomorrow is the funeral of (blurred) brother-in-law, maybe  (blurred) brother will write or call you when everyone comes from the cemetery and gathers in the cafe.
- Volodya is not online. The last time I called him was on August 18. 
- F*ck.
Who else can call him?
- No one
- Got it

Dima
- (blurred), his Mom and dad died, three small children are left, grandparents were also killed
(Blurred)
- Dima, it's f*cking crazy, it's all Vova's fault if he had anything to do with it. I think that no matter what flag is hanging there, you have nothing to do in the village anymore. The civilians were killed. Feel terribly sorry for the people.

Reportedly, the older brother learned from the locals who would come to the memorial service, when it would take place, and where exactly. He passed this information on to his Russian superiors, who decided to shell the civilian facility.

"He understood that civilians would surely die as a result of the enemy attack - his acquaintances from the village of Groza, including those who provided him with information," the Prosecutor's Office emphasizes.

The younger one told his wife that his brother had facilitated a rocket attack in the village of Hroza and asked her to keep quiet about it. The man seemed to keep silent about his participation in this crime.

The former law enforcement officers-brothers were served with a notice of suspicion of treason. One of them is also additionally charged with aiding and abetting the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder.

What is known about the tragedy in Hroza

On October 5, Russia shelled the village of Hroza, Kharkiv region, killing at least 50 people and injuring 6 others. The Russians hit a cafe where a memorial dinner was taking place at the time. A hit from an Iskander-M missile was recorded.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights sends a field team to investigate the Russian strike on the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region.

As of October 7, law enforcement officers had identified 48 victims. Experts have collected DNA samples from at least 16 relatives. Another 79 samples from unidentified bodies and fragments of remains were being run through the ANDE DNA complex at the time.

Later, on October 9, it became known about 49 identified bodies of residents of the village of Hroza.

On October 10, the police announced that the death toll had risen to 53 people. In total, the police received 22 reports of missing persons in the village of Hroza, 4 of which were not confirmed - the people were found, 13 people were identified among the recovered bodies. Five people remained missing. Since October 5, investigators and forensic experts have been working around the clock to identify the victims. During this time, 288 DNA tests were conducted.

On October 11 alone, 55 deaths were reported. Over the last day, two more people were identified by DNA.