Chief butcher of Butscha arrested
Butscha stands unique for the atrocities of Russian war crimes. The many civilian deaths on the streets near Kiev have left parts of the global community in shock. One of the perpetrators is now in custody - however, not for the massacre.
The commander of the Russian 83rd Airborne Brigade, Artjom Gorodilow, has been charged and arrested according to TASS, the Kremlin's mouthpiece, for fraud amounting to approximately 10,000 Euro. He faces up to ten years in prison. Gorodilow reportedly denies the allegations and insists on an acquittal. The Military Court has reportedly sent the Officer to a pre-trial detention center until the 19th of August.
Gorodilow once commanded the Russian 234th Airborne Regiment, which, according to a report by the "New York Times," was responsible for the massacre of Ukrainian civilians in Butscha under his leadership in March 2022.
The true reason for the current fraud charges against Gorodilow could be significant losses in the Charkiw region, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Ukrainian officials have recently reported that the Russian military command attempted to withdraw parts of Gorodilow's 83rd Airborne Brigade from the Charkiw direction after they sustained heavy losses, making them "unfit for combat."
In the Ukrainian region of Charkiw near the border with Russian Belgorod, Russian troops opened a third front a few months ago and made rapid progress initially. However, the Ukrainian forces halted the advance and pushed them back after a short time. Since then, the situation for the Russian troops has worsened, and the offensive is at risk of failing.
"Gross Incompetence"
"Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian military leadership may be punishing Gorodilow for what Putin sees as gross incompetence, as he failed to achieve military objectives, resulting in the deaths of a significant number of Russian 'elite' soldiers heading towards Charkiw," the ISW writes in an analysis.
Russian bureaucracy had recently arrested numerous officials in the Russian Defense Ministry and high-ranking military officers under allegations unrelated to their positions. These developments are referred to by observers as "purges" to eliminate those out of favor.
Despite Gorodilow's denial of the fraud allegations, his arrest is seen as a part of Russia's wider politics, with some suggesting it's a response to his failure in the Wars and conflicts in Ukraine. The Russian 234th Airborne Regiment, led by Gorodilow, was infamous for its role in the Butscha massacre in Ukraine.
The current attack on Ukraine has resulted in numerous lose-loss situations for Russia, including heavy losses in the Charkiw region. The Russian military command attempted to withdraw parts of Gorodilow's 83rd Airborne Brigade after they were deemed unfit for combat due to these losses.
Recent arrests of officials and high-ranking military officers in the Russian Defense Ministry, including Gorodilow, have been interpreted as "purges" by some observers, aimed at eliminating those perceived as failing in their duties, like Gorodilow in Ukraine's Wars and conflicts.
