Russian war criminals can be held accountable. A Ukrainian court has found a Russian unit commander guilty of raping women during the occupation of the city of Makariv near Kyiv. Following a public prosecution by the Prosecutor General's Office, he has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Rape and any form of sexual violence are grave violations of the Geneva Conventions and are classified as war crimes.

The commander from Buryatia who brought terror to Kyiv Oblast received just punishment

On 7 March 2022, he and his brigade swept through the area, breaking into homes, looting, threatening, and killing civilians.

The commander, together with a subordinate, broke into a woman’s home, held her at gunpoint, and, under threat of execution, forced her into a neighboring house, where he physically assaulted and raped her.

The convicted man is a native of Makhachkala, who served as section commander and combat vehicle leader of the 9th Motorized Rifle Company, 37th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (military unit 69647, Kyakhta, Buryatia, Russian Federation).

Makariv was occupied by Russian forces for several weeks but was liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 1 April 2022, during the counteroffensive. During the occupation, the town was about 40% destroyed, and 132 civilians were executed, as per Stratcom. 

Russian troops destroyed many private and apartment buildings, and razed hospitals and kindergartens.

Since 2022, Ukraine has documented 190,000 Russian war crimes.