The Security Service of Ukraine has collected evidence against another two russian judges of the Southern district military court of russia – Gurgen Dovlatbekyan and Artem Shalaev.

The investigation established that in December and November 2024, they illegally sentenced two captured soldiers of Ukraine’s Defence Forces to 18 years in prison.

The victims are servicemen of a National Guard of Ukraine brigade who participated in the defence of Mariupol at the beginning of the full-scale war.

To send Ukrainian defenders to russian prisons, Dovlatbekyan and Shalaev staged a pseudo-trial and brought false and unfounded charges against the Ukrainian PoWs.

In doing so, the russian judges grossly violated the norms of international humanitarian law, according to which the victims are combatants in an armed conflict.

If captured, such persons acquire the status of prisoners of war and are not subject to imprisonment for participating in hostilities.

Based on the evidence, investigators from the Security Service notified Dovlatbekyan and Shalaev in absentia of suspicion under Article 438.1 of the CCU (war crimes, in particular violations of Articles 129 and 130 of the Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949).

Both ruscists are on the territory of the aggressor state. Efforts are underway to bring them to justice for crimes against Ukrainians.

The investigation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.