site.btaBulgarian Prosecution Service Investigating Murder of PoWs, Civilians in Donetsk, Luhansk in 2022

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office has launched pre-trial proceedings into possible murder of prisoners of war and civilians in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2022. This transpires from a reply to BTA's inquiry in relation to State Agency for National Security's (SANS) annual report, which mentions a prosecutorial file based on SANS data about crimes against peace and humanity committed on Ukrainian territory by the Wagner private military company.

The pre-trial proceedings were initiated on August 22, 2023 following the receipt of classified information from SANS, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office told BTA. The investigation is on whether murders of prisoners of war and civilians were committed and ordered to be carried out in violation of international law in Ukraine's regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2022. The proceedings are for crimes under Art. 411 (a) and Art. 412 (a) of the Penal Code concerning crimes against peace and humanity.

More details on the investigation cannot be made public, as per the Classified Information Protection Act and the lack of a prosecutor's permission, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office said.