Russian colonel linked to Bucha massacre detained for fraud

On Thursday, 4 July, in Russia, the commander of the 83rd Independent Air Assault Brigade, Colonel Artyom Gorodilov, was detained. The soldiers under his command were said to have committed a massacre in Bucha. However, he is not accused of this in Russia; he was detained on suspicion of fraud.

The Russian newspaper "Kommersant" reported that officers of the Russian military counterintelligence FSB arrested Colonel Gorodilov in Moscow.

The authorities suspect the colonel of large-scale fraud. Details are unknown, but according to the Russian Criminal Code, "large-scale" crimes involve amounts exceeding 1 million roubles (approximately £9,000).

In December 2022, after an 8-month investigation, the American newspaper "The New York Times" reported that the massacre of civilians on Yablonska Street in Bucha was carried out by Russian paratroopers from the 234th Air Assault Regiment from Pskov, commanded by Colonel Artyom Gorodilov.

Right after Russia attacked Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Bucha, located near Kyiv, came under Russian occupation. Russian soldiers were present in Bucha throughout March. During this time, according to the Ukrainian government, they murdered 458 civilians. Some of them, around 40 people, were shot by Russians along Yablonska Street, one of the main arteries of the town.

American journalists in their investigation analysed available intelligence data, footage from the scene, witness testimonies, and phone records of the victims (Russians stole phones from Ukrainians and then called their families with them).

Gorodilov was later subjected to American sanctions.