DNIPROPETROVSK REGION: WAR CRIMES, HUMAN LOSSES, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Dnipropetrovsk Region is one of the largest in Ukraine, covering 31,900 square kilometers. According to the regional prosecutor’s office, the region is currently home to around 3.5 million people, including more than 464,000 internally displaced persons.

Administratively, the region is divided into seven districts, comprising 86 territorial communities. The most populous cities are Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske, Nikopol, and Pavlohrad. At the same time, some communities—most notably Nikopol—have experienced a significant population outflow due to constant Russian shelling.

As of today, 15 territorial communities in Dnipropetrovsk Region have been officially recognized as zones of active hostilities.

In an interview with Ukrinform, Yurii Papusha, Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, spoke about war crimes committed by the Russian army in the region and by those who facilitated them, crimes against children, offenses in the budgetary sphere, and the accountability that every perpetrator must face.

A SEPARATE CRIMINAL CASE FOR EVERY RUSSIAN STRIKE

Q: How many criminal proceedings have been opened regarding war crimes in Dnipropetrovsk Region?

A: As of January 1, 2026, a total of 6,419 criminal proceedings have been registered in the region related to war crimes committed by the armed forces of the Russian Federation. These are not just files or dry statistics. Each case represents a destroyed home, a shattered life, or murdered civilians. In 2025 alone, 3,303 proceedings were initiated—thousands of new episodes of pain, loss, and human tragedy.

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, INCLUDING CHILDREN

Q: How many civilians, including children, have been killed or injured as a result of these crimes?

A: As of January 1, 2026, 533 civilians have been killed, including 44 children. Another 3,395 people have been injured, 304 of them children. Victims suffered mine-blast injuries, severe traumatic brain injuries, and wounds to their arms and legs.

These are not merely the consequences of war—they are war crimes against the civilian population. And for every life destroyed, accountability must follow.

DESTRUCTION OF CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Q: What level of destruction has the region suffered due to Russian shelling?

A:  More than 12,000 private houses and apartment buildings have been destroyed or damaged across Dnipropetrovsk Region. 373 educational institutions—schools, kindergartens, and universities—have been hit. The enemy has destroyed 85 hospitals and other medical facilities, depriving people of access to healthcare.

In addition, 27 cultural sites and 36 churches and religious buildings—places of remembrance, faith, and spiritual support—have been damaged or destroyed.

Russian attacks have also struck 2,208 gas, water, and electricity supply facilities, leaving thousands of households without heat, power, or water supply. Russian shelling is a form of suffering endured by every community in the region.

Q: Is it possible to identify specific perpetrators — Russian military units or officials — responsible for shelling civilian areas?

A: Yes. Identifying the direct perpetrators and commanders of the Russian army is a fundamental priority, because every order translates into shattered lives.

The Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office has already collected sufficient evidence and issued notices of suspicion in absentia to four senior officers of the Russian armed forces in connection with the missile strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih on April 4, 2025.

On that day, a residential neighborhood with a children’s playground was hit by an Iskander-M ballistic missile. A place meant for children’s voices became the scene of tragedy: 20 civilians were killed, including nine children. Another 44 people were injured, among them seven children.

These were ordinary families. An ordinary day. And a crime that has no justification.

Formal suspicions have been brought against representatives of Russia’s senior military command for war crimes committed against the civilian population.

Every strike on of residential areas, every shelling of civilian infrastructure, and every civilian death is meticulously documented. Each incident results in a separate criminal case, followed by a full pretrial investigation aimed at identifying those responsible and ensuring they are held accountable.

EVERYONE WHO WORKS FOR THE ENEMY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

Q: What results were achieved last year in investigating and prosecuting cases of high treason and terrorism in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast?

A: In 2025, law enforcement exposed twelve individuals on charges of high treason, all of whom were formally notified of suspicion. These individuals transmitted coordinates of Ukrainian military positions to the enemy, adjusted enemy strikes, and assisted in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

In particular, one suspect, after being recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), coordinated shelling of the city of Nikopol. Another passed information on defensive positions and critical infrastructure facilities in Pavlohrad to Russian forces.

Eighteen additional individuals were uncovered for terrorist activities. Among them was a resident of Dnipro who manufactured an improvised explosive device and was planning a terrorist attack in the city.

During the year, courts handed down fourteen guilty verdicts against fifteen defendants. One of them received a sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property for transmitting information to the enemy about checkpoints, an airport, and military barracks.

In September, prosecutors also secured the upholding on appeal of a life sentence against a convicted state traitor who had provided the enemy with intelligence on rail transportation of military equipment belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Everyone who works for the enemy will be identified, and accountability is inevitable.

23 MEMBERS OF FOUR CRIMINAL GROUPS EXPOSED FOR MISAPPROPRIATING NEARLY UAH 22 MILLION

Q: Oversight of budgetary expenditure has been a pressing issue at all times. What is the situation in this regard in the region?

A: The prosecutor’s office conducts systematic oversight of public procurement, tenders, and financial operations at all levels — from local communities to municipal enterprises. In 2025, authorities dismantled five organized criminal groups operating in the budgetary sector in the region.

The schemes were largely typical: inflating the cost of materials and services, entering false data into official documentation, and siphoning off public funds through affiliated companies.

In Kryvyi Rih, officials of local self-government bodies and private contractors embezzled UAH 1.8 million (approximately USD 47,000) allocated for the repair of bomb shelters in schools. In Dnipro city, an organized group led by a city council deputy illegally obtained more than UAH 7 million (around USD 185,000) through the installation of children’s and sports playgrounds by artificially inflating prices.

Law enforcement also exposed 23 members of four criminal groups involving officials from the Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih city councils as well as municipal enterprises. According to investigators, the groups misappropriated approximately UAH 22 million (about USD 580,000) earmarked for roads, bridges, and the renovation of residential buildings and educational institutions.

Among the high-profile cases is criminal proceedings against the former chief accountant of the municipal enterprise “Ternivske Housing and коммунal Services Company,” who unlawfully withdrew more than UAH 4.8 million (roughly USD 125,000) from the company’s accounts. Authorities also uncovered a price-inflation scheme during the repair of stormwater drainage infrastructure, which caused losses exceeding UAH 2 million (about USD 53,000) to the city of Dnipro.

In addition, prosecutors last year referred to court an indictment against a criminal organization in Kryvyi Rih whose members allegedly embezzled nearly UAH 6.8 million (approximately USD 180,000) between 2023 and 2024. The funds had been allocated for cemetery maintenance and the transportation of the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

Q: Are all the funds earmarked for reinforcing cities’ defenses and reconstructing housing damaged by enemy attacks being used as intended?

A: Unfortunately, funds earmarked for defense and post-attack housing reconstruction remain a high-risk area for abuse, which is why prosecutors are exercising particularly strict oversight in this sector.

In one case, prosecutors have referred an indictment to court against an official of the Samarivka City Council and a private contractor. Investigators claim they entered false information into official documents during the reconstruction of school bomb shelters and embezzled UAH 6.4 million (approximately USD 170,000).

In Kryvyi Rih, law enforcement uncovered a criminal organization involving a city council deputy that illegally appropriated more than UAH 2.5 million (around USD 65,000) during repairs of educational institutions and other facilities damaged by Russian attacks.

In the city of Dnipro, another organized group, acting with the assistance of municipal officials, embezzled UAH 3.3 million (about USD 87,000) allocated for the restoration of residential buildings damaged by enemy strikes.

Q: Are there criminal cases involving crimes in the banking sector?

A: Yes. Financial crimes have also been uncovered in the banking sector, putting citizens’ savings at risk. Prosecutors have referred an indictment to court against a manager of a bank branch in the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to investigators, she acted in collusion with others, using forged powers of attorney and misleading colleagues to embezzle more than UAH 19 million (approximately USD 500,000) in deposit funds belonging to five clients.

In the city of Dnipro, law enforcement authorities also exposed an organized criminal group that illegally appropriated more than UAH 50 million (over USD 1.3 million). Investigators say the head of a bank branch leaked confidential client information, while other members of the scheme posed as private enforcement officers, obtaining fraudulent court rulings and notarized writs. These documents were then used to open unlawful enforcement proceedings, allowing funds to be forcibly withdrawn from deposit accounts for debts that did not exist.

MORE THAN 50 PROCEEDINGS OPENED OVER ORGANIZING ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS

Q: How many criminal cases has the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office initiated over the illegal human trafficking across Ukraine’s state border?

A: As of the end of 2025, Ukrainian prosecutors were investigating more than 50 criminal cases related to the organization of illegal crossings of Ukraine’s state border in the region. In eight of these cases, 22 suspects have already been formally charged.

Investigators uncovered a range of schemes, including the falsification of state registry records — such as fabricated paternity claims used to secure legal grounds for leaving the country — as well as clandestine smuggling outside official border checkpoints. These operations involved the provision of routes and coordinates and, in some cases, assistance abroad, with the alleged involvement of public officials.

As a result of pretrial investigations, 12 indictments have been submitted to court. Among those charged are medical professionals accused of accepting bribes of between USD 5,000 and 7,000 to influence decisions by Medical and Social Expert Commissions (MSECs) on the assignment of disability status. Prosecutors say the falsified determinations were used to enable illegal departure from Ukraine.

A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVING CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN ARE CURRENTLY UNDER JUDICIAL CONSIDERATION

Q: What about investigations launched into crimes under international child rights law?

A: Protecting children’s rights is an absolute priority in the prosecutor's office activities. My position is unchanged: each and every crime committed against a child must be punishable, and the punishment must be severe to the full extent of law. For me, this is a matter of honor and responsibility.

A most notorious case involves a man who was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of raping two underage girls and forcing one of them to have sexual intercourse with his 9-year-old brother.

In another case, a man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the sexual assault and murder of a 16-year-old girl.

I would like to highlight a case that is particularly striking in its cruelty. In July 2025, a couple was severely beating their 4-year-old son with their hands, feet, and a metal pipe for "disobedience" during several days. The child died of traumatic shock. The indictment in this case has been sent to court.

In child protection cases that have been referred to court, damages exceeding UAH 22 million have been established. Nearly UAH 1.7 million has already been recovered, claims totaling UAH 3.8 million have been filed, and assets worth more than UAH 21 million have been seized.

A significant number of cases involving crimes against children are currently under judicial consideration, and in each of them prosecutors are pursuing accountability to the fullest extent. Anyone who violates a child’s life, dignity, or safety must understand that punishment is inevitable.

Olena Kolhusheva

Photo courtesy of the Prosecutor's Office for Dnipropetrovsk Oblast