On March 12, 2026, the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk regions notified a commander of a rocket artillery brigade of the Russian armed forces of suspicion under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This was reported by the project “The Book of Executioners of the Ukrainian People,” according to the Prompolitinform portal.
Circumstances of the crime
On February 15, 2023, at approximately 10:01, servicemen of the 439th brigade of the Russian armed forces carried out a strike using high-explosive fragmentation projectiles 9M55F or 9M528 on residential neighborhoods of Pokrovsk.
The Soniacnyi and Shakhtarskyi districts came under attack. The shells hit the roof of a five-story residential building and an area near Lyceum No. 2. Six apartment buildings and the educational institution building were damaged. As a result of the strike, the two upper floors of the most heavily damaged five-story building were completely destroyed. Due to the destruction of load-bearing structures, the 58-apartment building was declared unfit for further habitation.
https://russian-torturers.org/crimes/15-liutogo-2023-roku-m-pokrovsk-doneckoyi-oblasti
Three civilians were killed, including an elderly couple, and 11 civilians sustained injuries of varying severity: traumatic brain injuries, blast injuries, and shrapnel wounds. Among the victims were people of different ages, including a woman born in 2001 and elderly individuals.
What is known about the suspect
Colonel Anatolii Anatoliiovych Lapandin (born April 5, 1977) is a native of the city of Znamensk in Astrakhan region. At the time of the crime, he served as commander of the 439th Rocket Artillery Brigade (military unit 48315), stationed in Znamensk.
https://russian-torturers.org/profile/1679
This brigade is the only formation in the Southern Military District of the Russian armed forces equipped with multiple launch rocket systems “Smerch” / “Tornado-S” of 300 mm caliber. The brigade consists of three battalions with 18 launch systems.
By virtue of his position, Lapandin was subordinate to the command of the Southern Military District and was personally responsible for planning strikes, distributing ammunition, and coordinating unit actions during shelling.
Suspicion
Lapandin is suspected of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — violation of the laws and customs of war combined with intentional murder.
His actions violated the provisions of the Hague Convention of 1907, the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons of 1949, and Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1977, which prohibit intentional attacks on civilians and civilian objects.
Text and photo: The Book of Executioners of the Ukrainian People
