Russian pilot who had bombed the Kharkiv TV tower sentenced to 12 years in prison
A Russian pilot who had bombed civilian objects in Kharkiv oblast, including the Kharkiv TV tower, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Ukraine. This was announced by the SBU and the Office of the PGU.
The court found the pilot guilty of violating the laws and customs of war (Article 28, Part 2; Article 438, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The court also settled the civil lawsuits filed by the victims (three companies) for a total amount of over UAH 1.1 million.
The convict used to be the deputy commander of the 6th unit of the Air and Air Defense Forces of the Western Military District of the Russian Armed Forces.
In March 2022, he received an order to bomb civilian objects in Kharkiv and the oblast. He was also given the coordinates for the target – the Kharkiv radio and television transmission station.
According to the investigation, on March 6 of last year, he crossed the state border of Ukraine on a Russian Su-3 fighter jet and bombed a radio and television station in Kharkiv with eight FAB-500 aerial bombs with a total weight of 2.5 tons in TNT equivalent.
The shelling resulted in the metal structure of the TV tower being damaged and unable to be operated safely. The bombs also damaged the administrative building of the station, as well as over UAH 1.1 million worth of equipment belonging to three companies.
The pilot himself was shot down by Ukrainian defenders immediately after dropping the bombs. After ejecting and landing, he was detained by the National Guard of Ukraine.
Photo: the Office of the PGU
As IMI reported, in January 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine has issued suspicion notices to the Russian servicemen it considers to be involved in the destruction of the Kharkiv radio and television transmission station.
On March 2, 2022, Russian troops shelled the TV tower on Derevyanka St., 1-A in Kharkiv. On the same day, law enforcers opened a case for violating the laws and customs of war (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
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