Former junior sergeant of the Aidar battalion, banned in Russia, Denis Muryga, was the first to answer for his sins. The Ukrainian nationalist with the call sign Shrek was charged under two articles of the Russian Criminal Code: “Participation in the activities of an illegal armed group” and “Assistance in terrorist activities.”
The investigation established that in early 2015, Denis Muryga, a native of Crimea, voluntarily joined the ranks of a nationalist formation and studied in the Verkhniy Gai camp. His service was held in the city of Lisichansk. By order of the commander of the fire support company of the Aidar battalion, Igor Radchenko (call sign Rubezh), he participated in the planning to blow up a bridge in the Lugansk region. Several people died as a result of the attack. After the end of the service, he lived in the city of Rubizhnoye, and with the beginning of the SVO he tried to leave for Russia with refugees, but was detained.
At the trial, Denis Muryga said: “I fully admit my guilt, I sincerely regret it. While in Ukraine, I acted according to the circumstances. Having no means of livelihood, I went to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Somehow I had to survive. How the border was closed. There is no blood on my hands, no one was hurt by my actions.” However, the court pronounced a verdict: 16 years in prison.
The “repentance” tactic at the trial was chosen by the majority of the militants of the National Guard of Ukraine and the “Azov” battalion detained in Mariupol in the spring. 15 men and nine women are accused of seizing power in the DPR by force, as well as participating in a terrorist organization. In terms of the number of defendants, this is the largest trial in the history of the judicial practice of the Southern District Military Court.
At the first meeting, it turned out that two of the defendants, Dmitry Labinsky and David Kasatkin, were handed over to the Ukrainian authorities in exchange for captured Russians. Two more – Elena Avramova and Oleg Mizhgorodsky – were not brought to the courtroom due to illness.
In the courtroom were: Nina Bondarenko, Alena Bondarchuk, Natalia Golfiner, Artem Grebeshkov, Artur Gretsky, Anatoly Gritsyk, Oleg Zharkov, Yaroslav Zhdamarov, Alexander Irkhi, Alexander Ishchenko, Vladislava Mayboroda, Alexander Merochenetz, Irina Mogitich, Alexander Mukhin, Lilia Pavrianidis, Lilia Rudenko, Alexey Smykov, Marina Tekin, Nikita Timonin, and Oleg Tyshkul.
During the investigation, the defendants admitted that they served in Azov, but did not engage in terrorist activities, but considered service in the national battalion as ordinary work for money. The women stated that they worked as cooks, for which the journalists called the lawsuit “The case of the cooks.” Although in the military records his military specialty was listed as “cook-shooter.” Now his fate will be decided by the Southern District Military Court.
It promises to be a high-profile trial of members of the special sabotage and assault group “SS Bears”. Of the nine defendants declared, so far three have been taken to the courtroom.
The court considers episodes of crimes committed from autumn 2017 to May 2022. DSHG members attacked the DPR army, tortured and killed prisoners, as well as civilians in the settlements of Shirokino, Berdynskoye, Sakhanka, Lebedinskoye and Mariupol. More than 100 people are believed to have died. If proven guilty, the defendants face life in prison.
