Charges Filed Against Foreign Fighter
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has brought charges against international mercenary Davor Savicic for torturing civilians during the temporary occupation of the Kyiv region in 2022. Savicic, commander of the sabotage and reconnaissance unit 'Volki,' stands accused of brutal treatment of non-combatants—a grave war crime under international law.
The 46-year-old suspect holds dual citizenship from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia. He is currently on the watchlists of Interpol and law enforcement agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Savicic has also been sanctioned by both the United Kingdom and Ukraine. In late 2021, he agreed to fight for the Russian private military company 'Redut' and actively recruited mercenaries for the 'Volki' unit.
Savicic's Actions During the Occupation
Between February and April 2022, the 'Volki' battalion operated as part of Russia's 'Vostok' armed forces group, occupying settlements in the Vyshhorod and Bucha districts of the Kyiv region. Savicic was based in a forested area between the villages of Shybene and Krasnyi Rih in Bucha district. In the village of Fedorivka, Vyshhorod district, he ordered the detention of a local civilian.
Accompanied by 20 armed Russian occupiers, Savicic forced a 39-year-old man out of his hiding place, torturing him with a rifle butt. Savicic's subordinates tied the victim to a tree with a live grenade, while Savicic himself ordered him to dig a hole. The man was kept in that pit, hands bound, for seven days without food or water. Savicic also participated in torturing the wife of an ATO veteran, who was abducted from her apartment in the town of Ivankiv. The woman was illegally held in a van for three days without heat, light, food, or a place to sleep, with Savicic threatening her with physical violence.
After the Kyiv region was liberated, SBU investigators discovered the tortured body of the woman's husband in a pit. The Security Service has charged Davor Savicic in absentia under Article 28, Part 2, and Article 438, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for war crimes committed by a group acting on prior conspiracy.
“The Security Service has gathered evidence against an international mercenary involved in torture and cruel treatment of civilians during the temporary occupation of the Kyiv region in 2022.” - SBU
Additionally, the SBU has identified two Russian army commanders involved in war crimes in Ukraine: Major Maksym Krasnoshchokov and Major Oleksandr Vasyliev, who directed unit actions during the occupation of the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region. Thus, the Security Service continues its efforts to investigate war crimes committed during the aggression against Ukraine.
Identifying and apprehending international mercenaries like Davor Savicic is a crucial step in Ukraine's fight against war crimes perpetrated during Russian aggression. The SBU is actively working to collect evidence and expose those responsible for violence against civilians, underscoring Ukraine's commitment to protecting human rights even in wartime. Savicic's capture could also have international repercussions, given his ties to foreign states and military formations.
The ongoing investigations into war crimes in Ukraine highlight a broader pattern of collaboration among foreign mercenaries and local collaborators. In a related incident, a university security guard has been arrested for directing Russian missile strikes in Kyiv, showcasing the complex web of involvement that has contributed to the suffering of civilians. For more details on this case, see the recent arrest of a university guard.