The four people charged — Suren Seiranovich Mkrtchyan, 45, Dmitry Budnik, and two others whose full names are not yet known — allegedly interrogated, tortured and threatened to kill the victim, including holding a mock execution.
The indictment says that Mkrtchyan and Budnik were commanding officers of military units of the Russian Armed Forces and/or the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. The two others, known only by their first names, Valerii and Nazar, were lower-ranking military personnel. They were allegedly fighting on behalf of Russia when they tortured the American.
While the charges are unprecedented, the chances of the suspects being captured or turned over to U.S. authorities are low.
The indictment grows out of an evidence-sharing agreement struck last year between the U.S. Justice Department and its Ukrainian counterparts.
Since forming the War Crimes Accountability Team, the Justice Department has been gathering evidence for cases that could be brought in U.S. courts — particularly any crimes committed against Americans.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has pledged to be “relentless” in helping Ukraine hunt down war criminals associated with the Russian invasion.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
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