SBU reveals new details of the murder of Ukrainian soldiers in Kharkiv region

The Security Service of Ukraine has established the circumstances of the murder of five Ukrainian servicemen and a civilian in the Kharkiv region. The suspect is Russian serviceman Leonid Ryzhikov, who had previously served a prison sentence in Russia and was mobilized into the Russian army in the summer of 2026.

The SBU press service reported this on October 15.

According to the investigation, 36-year-old Leonid Ryzhikov, a resident of St. Petersburg, served in the second battalion of the 1009th motorized rifle regiment of the 68th motorized rifle division of the 6th combined arms army of the Russian Federation. He had the call sign "Yula".

Law enforcement officers established that in late July 2026, the man was mobilized into the Russian army after being released from prison. Prior to that, he had spent eight years in prison for intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm and theft.

After mobilization, Ryzhikov was sent to fight against Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territory of the Chuhuiv district of the Kharkiv region.

According to the investigation materials, on October 5–6, the Russian serviceman came under fire from Ukrainian troops near the village of Starytsia. After that, he left his position with an AK-74 rifle and began moving towards Kharkiv.

On the way, the man entered an abandoned private house and stole civilian clothing, which he later used as a disguise.

The investigation established that on October 13, Ryzhikov committed two attacks, the victims of which were six people.

The first murder occurred near the village of Mykhailivka in the Kharkiv district. According to the SBU, the Russian serviceman shot dead a 60-year-old local resident who was fishing at a pond.

On the same day, the suspect broke into a private house in the village of Momotove, where five Ukrainian servicemen were temporarily staying.

The SBU emphasized that at the time of the attack, the servicemen were not involved in combat operations, had no weapons, and were dressed in civilian clothing.

According to the investigation, Ryzhikov shot all five servicemen. Some of them were sleeping at the time of the attack.

After committing the crimes, the man hid the rifle and tried to escape. However, on October 14, SBU officers together with the National Police and the National Guard detained him in the Saltivskyi district of Kharkiv.

Law enforcement officers also found and seized the AK-74 rifle, which, according to the investigation, was used in the murders.

On October 15, SBU investigators officially notified the detainee of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – war crimes that resulted in the death of people.

The sanction of the article provides for punishment up to life imprisonment.

Currently, the issue of choosing a measure of restraint in the form of detention for the suspect is being decided. The pre-trial investigation continues under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Earlier, on October 14, law enforcement officers reported the detention of a Russian serviceman on suspicion of murdering five soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At that time, his possible involvement in the death of a civilian was still being checked. The new SBU report confirms that the investigation links the suspect to the murder of six people, and contains the official qualification of his actions as a war crime.

Based on materials from: Security Service of Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda.