The Death of Oleksandr Sheptura
A pro-Russian Telegram channel known as "From Mariupol to the Carpathians," which previously circulated footage of attacks on civilians in Kherson, has announced the death of one of its administrators. According to the investigative outlet ASTRA, the deceased is likely Oleksandr Sheptura, a former lieutenant colonel in the Ukrainian police who defected to Russian-backed forces in 2014. Over the years, Sheptura held various positions within the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), including deputy minister of internal affairs and head of its organized crime unit. In 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded him the rank of police major general.
Channel's Links and Activities
The "From Mariupol to the Carpathians" channel is linked to the Escadron unit of Russia's 18th Combined Arms Army. On June 10, the channel's administrators reported the death of their colleague. ASTRA notes that Sheptura was registered in Rostov-on-Don. His name also appeared in case files from the Donetsk regional prosecutor's office, where he was accused of kidnapping and torturing people in occupied Donetsk. The Pokrovsk police department of the Donetsk region had placed him on a wanted list for involvement in illegal armed groups.
- The channel published videos showing a Russian drone dropping munitions on pedestrians in Kherson.
- In May, it also posted footage of a Russian drone strike on vehicles belonging to a UN mission in Kherson, but later removed that post.
In 2025, an independent UN international commission classified Russia's systematic drone attacks on civilians in the Kherson region as war crimes. The commission documented that nearly 150 civilians had been killed by drone strikes since July 2024.
In May 2026, Russia attacked a UN humanitarian mission in Kherson, with drones striking a vehicle carrying the mission's head and eight staff members. The channel's administrators expressed their condolences, writing:
"The Lord takes the best of the best. We are in immense grief on our channel. To be a warrior is to live forever. Forgive us all, brother."
The death of Oleksandr Sheptura, a former Ukrainian police officer who switched sides to the occupiers, highlights the troubling dynamics of the conflict in Ukraine and its consequences for those involved in the war. Moreover, this event raises questions about the legitimacy and ethics of actions by various parties in the conflict, particularly the use of drones against civilians. The UN commission's classification of systematic attacks on civilians as war crimes underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need to hold perpetrators accountable.