(NewsNation) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its first federal criminal indictment against four Russian military personnel Wednesday for alleged atrocities committed against an American citizen living in Ukraine.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced these charges, unsealing an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Congress passed the U.S. war crimes statute nearly 30 years ago, to give us jurisdiction to prosecute war crimes committed against American citizens abroad,” Garland said at a press conference.
He added, “In an indictment returned yesterday in the Eastern District of Virginia, we have charged four Russia-affiliated military personnel with war crimes against an American citizen living in Ukraine. The charges include conspiracy to commit war crimes, including war crimes outlawed by the international community after World War Two, unlawful confinement, torture, and inhuman treatment.”
Garland also said that while these are the first war crimes charges brought by the U.S. government, more are expected.
The indictment unsealed Wednesday details charges against Seiranovich Mkrtchyan, 45, a commanding officer in the Russian Armed Forces. Mkrtchyan is accused of directing soldiers to abduct the unidentified American from his home in April 2022 in Mylove, a village in the Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.
Also named in the indictment are Russian national Dmitry Budnik, another commanding officer, and two lower-ranking military personnel, Valerii and Nazar, whose last names remain unknown.
The accused allegedly interrogated, severely beat and tortured the American victim. They reportedly threatened to kill him and conducted a mock execution, narrowly missing his head with bullets.
“[The Russians] threw the victim face down to the ground while he was naked, tied his hands behind his back, pointed a gun at his head and severely beat him, including with the stocks of their guns,” the indictment says.
“These charges send a clear message. The criminal division will pursue those who committed war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine,” Acting Assistant U.S. Attorney General Nicole Argentieri said. “We’re committed to bringing war criminals to justice, no matter where they’re located.”
Garland emphasized that these charges represent just the beginning of actions against war criminals connected to Russian activities in Ukraine and even members of Hamas in Israel, highlighting the Americans affected in the Oct. 7 attack.
