Human rights activist: Occupation forces pass rapist off as a deserter because they fear a rebellion

In the occupied Donetsk region, the Russian occupier raped and murdered Svitlana, a minor, the daughter of a local teacher. Stanislav Churikov served in the Storm Z unit (former prisoners who signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry).

Vira Yastrebova, a lawyer and director of the Eastern Human Rights Group, told this at a briefing at the Ukraine-Odesa Media Center. The tragedy happened in the city of Antratsyt.

“Stanislav Churikov is wanted by the occupation authorities as a deserter. But in fact, he is wanted by the occupation authorities as a suspect in the murder of Svetlana, the daughter of a local teacher. Local residents report that the occupiers are afraid of a riot, so they do not inform the occupation media about the true reason for the search,” Yastrebova said.

According to the organization, cases of rape of women have become more frequent in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is evidenced by the reports of the Russian occupation police in the occupied territories of Ukraine. In the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, cases of rape have increased by 84% compared to 2021. In 10 months of 2023, more than 219 cases of rape against women were registered in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The data does not include Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.  Local residents attribute the surge in rape to the high concentration of Russian military personnel and former prisoners, who are also being brought to the occupied territory of Ukraine en masse, the Eastern Human Rights Group said.

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