Five Russian commanders to stand trial over deadly 2024 airstrike on Kharkiv Epicentr hypermarket
Ukrainian prosecutors have sent to court the case against five Russian military commanders accused of organizing the deadly 2024 airstrike on the Epicentr hypermarket in Kharkiv’s Kyivskyi district, according to the Prosecutor General's Office..
According to investigators, on May 25, 2024, a weekend day, Su-34 aircraft took off from the Buturlinovka airfield in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast and launched three UMPB D-30SN guided munitions at the hypermarket. Each carried about 100 kilograms of explosives. About 200 employees and shoppers were inside at the time of the attack.
19 people were killed and 46 others were injured, prosecutors said. Total damages exceeded 1.19 billion hryvnias ($26.6 million), including more than 860 million hryvnias in environmental losses and more than 330 million hryvnias in material damage to the store.
Ukrainian law enforcement and intelligence agencies said they reconstructed the entire chain of planning and carrying out the strike and identified everyone involved. Investigators named five Russian military officials — four generals and one colonel — who they say developed the bombing plan, gave the order, and ensured it was carried out.
According to the investigation, the commander of the Russian North troop grouping decided to carry out the attack and instructed his first deputy, the chief-of-staff, to develop proposals and a fire plan targeting the Epicentr hypermarket. The deputy then directly planned the strike and prepared the combat orders.
Technical calculations concerning timing, the number of aircraft and the weapons to be used were carried out by the chief-of-staff and first deputy commander of the Russian 6th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Aerospace Forces.
Based on those materials, the commander of the 6th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense — a native of Chuhuyiv in Kharkiv Oblast — issued the combat order for the aviation sortie.
The commander of the 47th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 105th Mixed Aviation Division of the same 6th Army then passed the order to his subordinates, who launched the munitions at the hypermarket.
The five commanders are charged with violating the laws and customs of war combined with intentional murder committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code.
- Share: