Donetsk, Jun 14 — DAN. A captured commander of a Ukrainian self-propelled artillery battery is accused of cruel treatment of civilian population and use of prohibited methods of warfare, the press service of Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK) said on Tuesday.
“The SK completed the probe into the criminal case against Senior Lieutenant Denis Nazarov, commander of 3rd self-propelled artillery battery of army unit A-2802, ” the press service said.
He is accused under Article 356 Part 1 of Russia’s Criminal Code (cruel treatment of civilian population and use of prohibited methods and means in armed conflict). The investigators found that Nazarov repeatedly ordered his subordinates to fire “Gvozdika” self-propelled howitzers at neighborhoods and social infrastructure facilities in the Novoazovsky and Kalmiussky districts of the Donetsk People’s Republic using 122mm high explosive fragmentation projectiles in the period from February 28 to March 10.
As a result of his criminal action, a child died of his wounds and a local resident was wounded. On top of that, 40 houses in four settlements were destroyed. The damage is estimated at 24.8 million roubles, the SK added.
In the course of the probe, 42 victims lodged civil suits demanding compensation for lost property and moral damage. The defendant and his lawyer are currently reading the case materials.
Nazarov was taken prisoner on the Mariupol axis in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The DPR Interior Ministry posted a video with his story in late April.*jk