Bulgaria Launches Investigation of War Crimes Committed by Russian Mercenaries of "Wagner" in Ukraine

The Prosecutor's Office of the Bulgarian capital Sofia has launched a pre-trial investigation into war crimes committed by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner PMC. The case concerns the possible murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine in 2022, BTA reports.

This proceeding was initiated on 22 August 2023 after the prosecutor's office received classified information from the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (SANS). The investigation is being carried out against individuals who could have been the perpetrators of the killings of civilians and prisoners of war, as well as those who gave the relevant orders. The Sofia prosecutor's office stated that the proceedings were opened on the grounds of crimes under the articles of the Bulgarian Criminal Code on crimes against peace and humanity.

Bulgarian law enforcement officials currently note that more detailed information about the investigation cannot be made public in accordance with the Law on the Protection of Restricted Information and due to the lack of a prosecutor's permission.

As reported by The Gaze, the United Nations has published a report on the activities of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. According to the report, during the winter months of 2023-24 alone, Russia executed more than 30 Ukrainian prisoners of war. In particular, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed three cases in which Russian soldiers executed seven Ukrainian servicemen on the battlefield.

Between December and February, when Russian troops were fighting in Avdiivka, Donetsk region, and attempting to capture Robotyno, Zaporizhzhia region, dozens of videos depicting the execution of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers appeared on social media.