MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. Russian Investigative Committee has filed charges in absentia against a Ukrainian Armed Forces brigade commander Fyodor Yaroshevich, Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told TASS.

"The investigation obtained objective information on Yaroshevich’s involvement in crimes under Russian Criminal Code Article 356 [organization of use of means and methods, prohibited by Russian international treaty, in armed conflict]," Petrenko said.

According to the Committee, between August 22 and September 4, 2014, Yaroshevich, acting on superiors’ command, ordered precision shelling of Donbass settlements with Tochka-U ballistic missiles. Four civilians, including one child, died as a result of shelling of settlements in Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Five move adults and one child were injured, several houses were damaged, as well as a railroad.

On February 14, 2015, on Yaroshevich’s command, another ballistic missile was fired on DPR’s Ilovaysk, injuring one civilian.