In Ukraine, Admiral Pinchuk Charged in Captured Court Case

• Admiral Pinchuk was charged in the captured court "Sapphire."
• The captors subjected him to psychological pressure and violence.
• The investigation was conducted jointly with the prosecutor's office of the Odessa region.

This is reported by RBC Ukraine, Interfax Ukraine.

Admiral Sergey Pinchuk, commander of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia, was charged in absentia for the capture of the Ukrainian rescue court "Sapphire." According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), he provided testimony regarding the capture of the court on February 26, 2022.

On that day, Russian troops illegally stopped and seized the civilian court, which was performing humanitarian missions in the waters of Zmiinyi Island. After the capture aboard the court, military personnel threatened with weapons and took 19 members of the crew hostage, as well as a priest and a doctor, who were also on board.

Part of the Ukrainian crew was transferred to the Russian Armed Forces, while others were detained on the temporarily occupied island. All captives reported psychological pressure and threats of physical violence, including imitations of "executions." During these actions, Pinchuk personally remained on the island, participated in the interrogations of the crew of "Sapphire" and provided testimony about the transportation of victims from the court to Crimea, and then to Russia.

Based on the collected evidence, Pinchuk was charged in absentia under parts 2 of Article 28 and 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (military crimes committed by a group of persons by prior agreement). Last month, two officers of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia were also charged in the brutal abduction of the Ukrainian court "Sapphire" near Zmiinyi Island.

Tags: Ukraine/Russia/Crime