In Kherson region, during occupation, Russian soldier kept local woman in slavery

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office.

“Under the procedural guidance of the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office, a serviceman of the 25th Separate Guards Regiment of the Special Forces of the Russian Armed Forces who committed sexual violence against a woman during the temporary occupation of the right-bank part of the Kherson region was identified,” the statement said.

The soldier is charged with cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of the laws and customs of war.

According to the investigation, in 2022, the suspect served in the Russian Armed Forces and took an active part in hostilities against Ukraine in one of the settlements of the Kherson district.

In early September of the same year, he noticed a local resident walking home. Using force, the perpetrator pushed the woman into a car and drove her to a house where he lived. There, he threatened her, forced her to undress and raped her.

According to the prosecutor's office, the suspect then took advantage of her defenseless and helpless state to imprison her in the house. Isolated from the outside world, the woman was forced to obey the prohibitions and restrictions imposed by the suspect under threats. The victim was systematically raped by the Russian serviceman, forced to serve his household, and for the slightest disobedience, the perpetrator beat her and locked her in the basement for a long time.

The prosecutor's office said that the occupier continued such abuse of the victim for more than a month until he left the settlement.

According to the Kherson regional police, it is a resident of one of the settlements of the Stanislav territorial community.

According to Ihor Demianiuk, Head of the Department for Investigation of Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict of the Kherson Police Investigation Department, with the operational support of the regional police's Criminal Investigation Department, law enforcement officers identified the suspect. He is a 37-year-old resident of Cherkessk, who was a serviceman of the 25th Separate Guards Regiment of the Special Forces of the Russian Armed Forces during the occupation of Kherson district.

At present, in agreement with the regional prosecutor's office, the Russian special forces officer was served a notice of suspicion in absentia. The sanction of the article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of eight to twelve years. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

As Ukrinform reported, in the fall of 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the right-bank part of the Kherson region, in particular, the city of Kherson. Part of the region, located on the left bank of the Dnipro River, was temporarily seized by Russian troops.