Prosecutors in Finland announced on Thursday that they have filed charges against a combatant for alleged war crimes committed in 2014 while fighting against Ukrainian forces in a Russian-backed separatist region.
While the National Prosecution Authority did not name the suspect, Finnish media identified him as Yan Petrovsky, a Russian national living in Finland under the alias Voislav Torden. Petrovsky has denied any involvement in the alleged crimes.
According to Finnish prosecutors, the charges relate to Petrovsky’s activities as deputy commander in a unit known as Rusich, which supported the Russian-backed Luhansk separatist forces in their conflict with Ukraine. They accuse him of participating in acts that violate the laws of war, including the killing of 22 Ukrainian soldiers and seriously injuring four others. The charges also allege that he engaged in unlawful conduct regarding the treatment of enemy combatants.
Petrovsky, 37, was arrested in July 2023 while attempting to travel to Nice, France, with his family. Reports indicate that he entered Finland despite a European Union-wide entry ban by using a new identity, aided by his wife’s student status.
Finland’s Supreme Court previously ruled against extraditing Petrovsky to Ukraine, where he faces an arrest warrant due to concerns over potential inhumane prison conditions. Finnish prosecutors insist that the country is obliged to try him for the charges.
Further details about the case are expected to be revealed when it is brought before the Helsinki District Court, with the trial anticipated to start on December 5 and continue until late January 2025.
The investigation into Petrovsky, who formerly resided in Norway, was led by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, which has collaborated with Ukrainian and European officials as well as the International Criminal Court.
Petrovsky is listed on the European Union’s sanctions list against Russia as a founding member of the far-right paramilitary group Rusich, which is linked to terrorism and the activities of Russia’s mercenary Wagner Group.
The conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists escalated significantly after Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014, leading to a prolonged conflict resulting in thousands of deaths. Since February 2022, the situation has further deteriorated with the ongoing war initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Credit: ABC News
