MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. A court in Moscow has issued an in-absentia arrest warrant for the commander of Ukraine’s 19th missile brigade, Colonel Fyodor Yaroshevich, who is wanted in a case opened over a Tochka-U missile strike against the railway station in Kramatorsk early this month, which left 50 people killed. The court said the decision had not taken effect yet and may be appealed within the established deadlines.
"The Basmanny court has sustained the investigator’s request for a restrictive measure of two months in custody starting from the moment of extradition to Russia or detention in Russia in relation to Fyodor Yaroshevich, accused of committing a crime under part 1 of article 356 of the Russian Criminal Code (use of prohibited means and methods of warfare)," the court’s spokeswoman said. Yaroshevich was put on an international wanted list. He may face up to 20 years in prison.
Earlier, the press-service of the Donetsk People’s Republic Prosecutor’s Office told TASS that a criminal case against Ukrainian Army Colonel Fyodor Yaroshevich had been launched following a Tochka-U strike against Kramatorsk.
The press-service of Russia’s Investigative Committee later said that a total of 42 Ukrainian military commanders had been indicted on criminal charges for acts of genocide. Investigators continue to gather evidence exposing Yaroshevich’s responsibility for war crimes against civilians. The analysis of identification numbers on the hulls of missiles found at the sites of attacks has shown that in a number of strikes against the Donetsk and Lugansk republics missiles from one series were used (SH89455, SH89464, and SH89466). These missiles manufactured in 1989 were in service in the Ukrainian armed forces, the Investigative Committee said.
According to obtained evidence, all of Ukraine’s missile systems Tochka-U were at the disposal of the 19th separate missile brigade under Colonel Yaroshevich. The brigade consisted of three battalions, eight launchers in each.
No less than 50 people were killed and about 100 others injured as a result of the April 8 bombardment of the railway station in the city of Kramatorsk, which remains under the Ukrainian forces’ control. Ukraine instantly blamed the attack on Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the Russian forces had no military targets in Kramatorsk on April 8 and there were no plans for any strikes. Also, it stressed that tactical missiles Tochka-U are used only by the Ukrainian army. A Ukrainian missile battalion carried out the strike from the area of the city of Dobropolye, located 45 kilometers southwest of Kramatorsk and controlled by the Ukrainian forces.