Ukraine alleges Kadyrov of war atrocities

The Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has taken a significant step in holding Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov accountable for alleged war crimes. On Monday, charges were pressed against Kadyrov for comments he made last October regarding Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The charges, filed under Part 1 of Article 438 of Ukraine's criminal code, provide for punishment for cruel treatment of prisoners of war. The case is currently under the procedural guidance of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office.

The charges against Kadyrov were based on statements he made, urging his subordinates not to take Ukrainian soldiers captive but to kill them on the spot. This action was classified as a violation of the laws and customs of war, contravening the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Similar charges were also filed against Daniil Martynov, deputy head of the Russian National Guard in Chechnya, and Hussein Mezhidov, commander of a tactical group of the 249th Separate Motorised Battalion.

Investigative measures in the case include a range of steps aimed at bringing Kadyrov to justice for crimes against the Ukrainian people and state. The SBU is further documenting actions violating international humanitarian law and collecting new evidence.

This is not the first attempt to hold Kadyrov accountable for war crimes. Similar charges were filed against him in August 2022 for waging an aggressive war and supporting Russia's territorial expansion into Ukraine.

Kadyrov later cancelled the order three days later. However, in December, he instructed his subordinates to place prisoners of war on the roofs of military facilities in Grozny to use them as a 'human shield' against Ukrainian drone strikes. This action was also classified as a violation of the laws and customs of war.

Ramzan Kadyrov has been a subject of criticism by human rights organisations for numerous violations of human rights, including disappearances, torture, and the persecution of opponents. As of March, more than 150 Ukrainian prisoners of war were being held in Chechnya according to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

The future of journalism in the Caucasus region is grim, with independent voices under threat. The report about the situation was made by RFE/RL. The relevant article of Ukraine's criminal code under which the charges were filed provides for a sentence of between eight and twelve years in prison.

It is important to note that there is no publicly available information specifying the name of a person currently charged by the Ukrainian security service for crimes against international humanitarian law, other than Ramzan Kadyrov, Daniil Martynov, and Hussein Mezhidov.

The alleged actions by Kadyrov took place after a Ukrainian drone struck the Special Forces University in Gudermes, Chechnya. At the time, Kadyrov claimed that Ukrainian citizens had been killed in the strike, alleging that prisoners were being held in the building partially damaged by the drone. However, these allegations have yet to be independently verified.