Ukrainian law enforcement authorities have issued a new — already the third — notice of suspicion against a Russian occupation “commandant”.

The investigation established his systematic involvement in unlawful detention, cruel treatment, and torture of civilians. The new notice of suspicion marks another step toward holding the war criminal accountable for crimes committed against Ukrainians. This was reported by the Book of Executioners of the Ukrainian People.

The Suspect

Ayub Eldarovich Eldarov (born January 8, 1985) is a native of the village of Dylim in the Kazbekovsky District of Dagestan.

He is a lieutenant colonel and commander of a battalion of the 96th Operational Regiment (Military Unit No. 6780) of the 46th Separate Operational Brigade of the Russian National Guard.

The occupation authorities appointed him as the so-called military commandant of the Chernihivka Settlement Territorial Community in the Berdiansk District of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

By the verdict of the Vilniansk District Court of Zaporizhzhia Oblast dated June 14, 2024, he was already sentenced in absentia to 12 years of imprisonment for violating the laws and customs of war.

In addition, another indictment against him, dated June 2, 2025, concerning similar crimes, is currently under consideration by the same court.

Details of the crime

The new notice of suspicion concerns the abduction and torture of three Ukrainian civilians.

First episode (April–May 2022)

On April 6, 2022, Eldarov and his subordinates arrived at the victim’s home in search of weapons. They punched him in the chest and threatened to execute him.

On May 27, 2022, the victim was abducted again. A sack was placed over his head, secured with tape, and he was forcibly taken to the so-called commandant’s office (401 Soborna Street, Chernihivka settlement).

He was later transported to another location, where he was intimidated and struck on the back with a wooden bat, forcing him to confess on camera to being “ready to cooperate” with the occupation authorities.

Second episode (April 5–15, 2022)

On April 5, 2022, Russian servicemen abducted a man from his home. During transportation, they cut his head with a knife and beat him.

That same evening, during interrogation, the victim’s hands were bound with plastic zip ties. He was subjected to electric shocks, while a towel was placed over his face and water was poured over it, simulating drowning and depriving him of the ability to breathe.

The following day, during another interrogation, the victim’s ear was pierced with a sharpened pencil, after which the torture with electric shocks continued.

On April 9, Eldarov personally interrogated the victim. He kicked him in the torso at least three times, then ordered wires to be attached to the victim’s left foot and right hand and applied electric current using a TA-57 military field telephone for at least thirty minutes.

Afterward, on Eldarov’s orders, the victim was taken to a forest belt, where his ear was burned with a lighter and he was stabbed twice in the thigh with a bayonet knife.

The victim was held in the commandant’s garage until April 15 without medical care and with insufficient food and water.

Third episode (April 8–18, 2022)

On April 8, 2022, Russian servicemen abducted another Ukrainian civilian, beat him, and subjected him to electric shocks.

On April 10, 2022, to intimidate him and suppress resistance, they placed a plastic bag over his head, depriving him of the ability to breathe, and again tortured him with electric current.

Between April 10 and April 18, Eldarov personally continued torturing the victim. On at least two separate days, he struck the man on the head at least seven times with a wooden stick each time.

The victim remained detained until April 18 without proper conditions, sleep, or medical assistance.

Notice of suspicion

Eldarov has been served with a notice of suspicion under Article 438, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of the laws and customs of war.

Through his actions, he violated the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

Torture and unlawful imprisonment are recognized as war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.