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Russian authorities charge Kiev intel head Budanov in absentia for cross-border drone hits

"It was also established that the defendants had involved servicemen subordinate to them in the commission of these crimes," the press service stated

MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. The Russian Investigative Committee has charged Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov and several other military commanders in absentia for authorizing drone attacks on Russian territory, placing all individuals’ names on the wanted list, the law enforcement agency’s press service told TASS.

"Criminal charges have been filed against the Head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate [GUR], Kirill Budanov; Ukrainian Air Force Commander Nikolay Oleshchuk; Ukrainian Naval Forces Commander Alexey Neizhpapa; and Commander of the Ukrainian 383rd Unmanned Aircraft Regiment, Sergey Burdenyuk. They are being charged in absentia with committing crimes under Part 2, Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Terrorist Act"). It was also established that the defendants had involved servicemen subordinate to them in the commission of these crimes," the press service stated.

The investigators added that in the near future they will officially designate the Ukrainian military officials charged as wanted and select a restraint measure in the form of detention in absentia. "The investigation has gathered sufficient evidence of the involvement of Ukraine’s top military leadership in the organization and commission from April 2022 to September 2023 of more than 100 air strikes with the use of fixed-wing drones on the territory of the City of Moscow and the Moscow Region, the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, the Rostov, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions, and a number of other Russian regions," the press service said.

The law enforcement agency continues the work of recording terrorist attacks and identifying other persons involved in committing such crimes.