Russian serviceman who shot six people in Ukraine's Kharkiv region recounts the events. Among the victims was an elderly fisherman
Russian serviceman Leonid Ryzhykov, suspected of killing five Ukrainian servicemen and one civilian, was charged on October 15 in the Kharkiv region. During interrogation, the 36-year-old native of St. Petersburg admitted his guilt and stated that he repents for his actions, writes "Suspilne".
Photo: SBU
According to the investigation materials, on October 13, Ryzhykov shot an elderly man near the village of Mykhailivka. During interrogation, he explained that he was afraid the fisherman would report him to Ukrainian servicemen.
The suspect, who had the call sign "Yula", said that the man with a fishing rod first stood about 20 meters away from him, and then began to approach. Ryzhykov claims that he decided to shoot because he was afraid the fisherman would call soldiers and he would be apprehended.
According to him, after a single shot, the man fell headfirst into the water, with his legs remaining on the bank. Then the Russian serviceman searched the victim's pockets and pushed his body into the river.
Later, according to the investigation materials, Ryzhykov killed five servicemen of Ukraine's 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade in the village of Mamotove.
"I committed the second murder when I had already entered the cottage. I heard someone running away. Then he started to come back, and I was standing near the cottage. I didn't do anything — I just killed him. He ran out, five or ten minutes later I killed him and went back. There were three soldiers there, I killed them and started climbing the hill. There a soldier ordered: 'Stop!' I shot back and fled," the suspect recounted.
After this, according to his own words, he walked to Kharkiv. There, on October 14, he was detained by Ukrainian law enforcement officers.
The murder of five Ukrainian servicemen occurred on October 13 around 4:00 PM. It was reported that an unknown person in civilian clothes shot soldiers of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
The next day, 36-year-old Leonid Ryzhykov, a native of St. Petersburg who could have been involved in the crime, was detained. He served in the second battalion of the 1009th motorized rifle regiment of the Russian armed forces and had a previous conviction in Russia.
According to the regional prosecutor's office, the investigation believes that the man could have been part of a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group. To avoid identification, he changed into civilian clothes.
The servicemen killed in Mamotove were aged between 24 and 40. According to sources of the "Suspilne" publication in law enforcement agencies, they served as operators of attack drones.