A Kharkiv court has ordered the pretrial detention of a Russian soldier who confessed to killing five Ukrainian service members and one civilian.
Key facts
- •Leonid Ryzhikov is accused of killing five Ukrainian service members and one civilian.
- •The suspect was identified by the Security Service of Ukraine on October 15.
- •Ryzhikov admitted to the killings in a video published by the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office.
- •The suspect was mobilized into the Russian military from prison in July.
- •Ryzhikov has at least four prior criminal convictions dating back to 2008.
A Kharkiv court has ordered the pretrial detention of 36-year-old Russian citizen Leonid Ryzhikov. The Security Service of Ukraine identified Ryzhikov, who used the call sign “Yula,” following his arrest in the Kharkiv region. He has confessed to killing five Ukrainian service members and one civilian in the region on October 13.
Details of the Confession
In a video released by the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office, Ryzhikov stated he killed a civilian who was fishing at a pond before killing the five service members. He claimed he had been hiding in local forests for approximately one week after fleeing Ukrainian shelling. Authorities reported that Ryzhikov was mobilized into the Russian military from prison in late July.
Background and Criminal History
Ryzhikov, a native of St. Petersburg born in 1990, has a documented history of prior criminal convictions. Records indicate he was prosecuted for drug-related offenses in 2008, including possession and attempted distribution of narcotics. He was subsequently convicted for intentionally causing serious bodily harm in 2015 and was arrested again in 2019 for theft-related crimes.
Timeline
- JulyLeonid Ryzhikov was mobilized into the Russian military from prison.
- October 13Ryzhikov allegedly killed five Ukrainian service members and one civilian.
- October 14The detention of a Russian soldier in the Kharkiv region was confirmed.
- October 15The Security Service of Ukraine identified the detainee as Leonid Ryzhikov.
Advertisement
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Insider (Russia).
