Russian Military Colonel Arrested on Fraud Charges Linked to Ukrainian Massacre

The Russian authorities have taken action against a high-ranking military official, Colonel Artyom Gorodilov, in connection with a significant fraud case, as reported by the state news agency TASS on Thursday.

Colonel Gorodilov, who was previously in charge of troops involved in the 2022 Ukrainian city of Bucha massacre, was arrested on July 3. He has been accused of committing fraud amounting to a minimum of one million rubles, which is equivalent to approximately $11,236. TASS reported the charges, stating that a military court has ordered his pretrial detention until Aug. 19. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Denial of Wrongdoing

Although facing these serious charges, Colonel Gorodilov has maintained his innocence, denying any involvement in the alleged fraudulent activities.

Currently serving as the commander of the 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade in the Russian Far East, Colonel Gorodilov had previously led the 234th Guards Air Assault Regiment based in Pskov, Russia. The 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade is currently active in eastern Ukraine.