Major General Faces War Crimes Charges
Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has formally charged a Russian Major General with war crimes for his role in organizing a missile strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital on July 8, 2024. The general, who previously served as First Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces' Long-Range Aviation, is now the Commander of Long-Range Aviation for the Russian Federation. He is accused of violating the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional homicide.
Details of the Missile Strike
The attack, carried out with a Kh-101 cruise missile launched at 10:45 on July 8 from a Tu-95MS strategic bomber, occurred while over 600 children were inside the hospital. The strike killed one female doctor and the grandfather of a patient, while injuring at least 34 people, including 9 children. This attack on a major pediatric center, a protected civilian site under international law, has drawn global condemnation.
The missile caused extensive destruction, completely destroying:
- A new treatment and diagnostic building
- The administrative and toxicology buildings
- A transformer substation
- The hospital's surgical building
Unique medical equipment was also lost in the attack.
The same general was previously charged with organizing a missile strike on Lviv on September 4, 2024, which killed 8 people, including members of the Bazylevych family (Yaryna, Daryna, Emiliia, and Yevheniia). In a related development, on July 8, 2025, Ukrainian intelligence identified Major Denis Oleksiyovych Sheinov of the Russian Armed Forces as the head of the special engineering service of the 121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, part of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division.
The Prosecutor's Office highlighted a significant gap in international sanctions, noting that dozens of manufacturers of Kh-101 missiles or their components are not currently under sanctions. They emphasized the strength of the evidence gathered, stating:
Every shattered childhood, every life taken, and every stone of the hospital destroyed represents a crime with no statute of limitations. The evidence collected will form the basis for verdicts in both Ukrainian and international courts.
This formal charge underscores the gravity of crimes committed during the war and represents a critical step in international efforts to hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable. Establishing responsibility for attacks on civilian infrastructure like hospitals carries significant legal consequences and could influence the future conduct of military commanders in conflict zones. As investigations continue, these proceedings may also lead to new sanctions against individuals and companies involved in the production and supply of military equipment used in the aggression against Ukraine.