Russian Colonel accused of Bucha atrocities detained by FSB on fraud charges
The FSB has detained a Russian Colonel involved in the Bucha massacre in Kyiv Oblast. Colonel Artem Gorodilov, commander of the 83rd Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade, has been accused of large-scale fraud, specifically under Article 159, Part 4, of the Russian Criminal Code, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Gorodilov was apprehended in Ryazan and immediately transported to Moscow for interrogation by the Main Military Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee. The exact nature and amount of the alleged embezzlement remain undisclosed, though under Russian law, "particularly large" refers to sums starting from one million rubles.
Previously, Gorodilov served in the 76th Guards Air Assault Chernigov Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division and was appointed as commander of the 234th Guards Air Assault Black Sea Order of Kutuzov Regiment named after Alexander Nevsky in 2019. This regiment invaded Bucha in February 2022, committing numerous atrocities. An investigation by The New York Times uncovered that soldiers from this regiment were involved in civilian murders on one of the town's streets. Specific members identified include those using the call signs "Flacon," "Astra," and "Uran," with Gorodilov himself known as "Uran".
Investigators believe that the killings on Yablonska Street were intentional acts aimed at advancing towards the Ukrainian capital. In 2023, Gorodilov faced personal sanctions from the United States. Additionally, it was reported on May 14 that the FSB detained the chief personnel officer of the Russian Ministry of Defence. This criminal case might be linked to Yuri Kuznetsov's previous role where he was responsible for state secret protection.