In the Sinelnikovsky district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, three men were detained who are suspected of an attack with shooting and the abduction of a 20-year-old victim, the Main Directorate of the National Police of the Dnipropetrovsk Region reported. Later, the Da Vinci Wolves battalion confirmed the involvement of its fighters in the incident.
According to law enforcement officers, the incident occurred on May 1 at approximately 23.40 near a store in the town of Shakhterskoye.
According to preliminary data, three men aged 38, 25 and 24 arrived at the store in a car. There were a security guard and her acquaintance in the room.
“The attackers came into conflict with a 20-year-old man, which escalated into a fight. During which the defendants beat the victim. Subsequently, the attackers put the unconscious man in a car and fired several shots from automatic weapons towards the store building,” the police statement said.
According to investigators, after this the defendants allegedly left the scene. It is also known that as a result of the shelling, the façade was damaged and the premises caught fire.
The police located the victim – he was found unconscious and hospitalized in a medical facility.
Also in a neighboring village, law enforcement officers detained persons who may be involved in the events.
The commander of the separate battalion “Da Vinci Wolves” Sergei Filimonov recorded a video message in which he stated that their servicemen were involved in the incident in Shakhterskoye. The unit recognizes the inadmissibility of such actions and has already launched an internal investigation.
“First of all, I want to say the main thing: we are very sorry. Shakhterskoe opened the doors for our military, accepted us, supported us and treated us with respect. And that is why it especially pains us that this story happened here,” the commander noted.
According to him, the unit will provide full support to law enforcement officers, and the involved fighters will be punished accordingly.
“It is worth saying that these are not random people. These are soldiers who have been performing combat missions for a long time… But all this is not an excuse for what happened. Unfortunately, war and constant psychological stress sometimes lead to actions for which we are ashamed as a battalion and which do not correspond to the role of a Ukrainian soldier,” Filimonov noted.
The battalion also said it was ready to take on its responsibility to the community. In particular, the military personnel plan to join the work for the benefit of the city and invited the residents of Shakhtarsky to determine what kind of assistance the unit can provide.
According to the police, three men were detained under Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The issue of informing them of suspicion is now being decided, and investigative actions are continuing.
