The evidence of another war crime committed by the Russian Federation in the Kherson region is detailed in the new episode of the program «Free Our Relatives». We cover the story of one of the defendants in this «case», Serhii Ofitserov.
Serhii Ofitserov, a 47-year-old Kherson resident, was apprehended in his parents’ apartment on August 3, 2022. Currently, he is held in the Lefortovo detention center in Moscow on terrorism charges. Serhii’s father is unaware of his son’s specific activities after the occupation of Kherson began but assumes he may have been aiding the Ukrainian military. The exact reasons for the man’s detention remain unknown, but it is presumed to be the basis for the prosecution. The Russians are conducting his trial in Rostov-on-Don, along with eight other individuals from Kherson.
We interviewed his father, Hennadiy Ofitserov, to gain insight into the current proceedings of the case against Serhii, fabricated by the occupiers.
Hennadiy Ofitserov: On August 3, 2022, Sergei came to visit me as he often did, sharing lunch together. Around 15:00, armed soldiers forcefully entered my apartment, calling out my son’s name and surname. They compelled him to lie on the floor and surrender his phone. Following this, he was taken out of the apartment. I inquired about the reason for his removal and when he would return, only to be informed that he would return on his own.
The next day, Serhiy’s mother (my ex-wife) went to the «military administration» and filed a statement. However, from August 3 until the end of October, we had no information about our son’s whereabouts. My ex-wife and I divided our efforts in the search – she scoured the internet, while I approached law enforcement agencies, detention centers, and prisons in pursuit of any trace. Everywhere, I received the same response: my son was nowhere to be found.
It wasn’t until the end of October that we received a call from a lawyer in Moscow, informing us that our son was in the Lefortovo detention center. Shortly after, a video surfaced with details about the «criminal nine» from Kherson, and there, I saw my son. To the best of my knowledge, he is still in Lefortovo today. He faces charges under three articles – 30, 361, and 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, pertaining to international terrorism, involvement in a criminal group, etc.
The trial in Rostov-on-Don was initially scheduled for January 9, then moved to January 25, and now it has been postponed to February 20.
Hennadiy Ofitserov: The occupiers label nine individuals from Kherson as a criminal group, accusing them of «preparing terrorist attacks against collaborators and attempting to blow up a printing house».
Remarkably, these guys were not acquainted with each other. Only my son and his nephew, Serhii Kovalskyi, had any connection. Thus, it is unclear why these people were grouped together. If you visit the court’s website, you’ll observe that these nine individuals are categorized into two groups. The significance of this division will likely be revealed during the trial.
Hennadiy Ofitserov: My son has consistently displayed a strong commitment to his patriotic ideals – flying the Ukrainian flag from his balcony and using the Ukrainian language in his interactions. Following the occupation of Kherson, I overheard my son discussing «Molotov cocktails». Later, when he moved in with his sister, they engaged in some activities with my nephew. Subsequently, I learned that my nephew, Serhii Kovalskyi, was involved in rescuing Ukrainian soldiers hiding in the floodplains. I lack concrete information, and it’s possible he was instructed not to disclose details to his relatives.
Hennadiy Ofitserov: Initially, Serhii had a state-appointed lawyer, and we managed to correspond and even have one phone conversation. Subsequently, we secured a shared lawyer for the entire group of guys, and I believe he was affiliated with the Helsinki Group. This development allowed us to engage in more frequent correspondence and send food and personal items. For instance, just yesterday, I received five letters from my son. We will wait and see how the correspondence unfolds, especially as my son goes to court in Rostov.
In one of the letters, my son discusses the potential sentence he might face. The charges carry a life sentence, but it could be reduced to 12 years. In this context, my son endeavors not only to offer support to me but also to the lawyer, expressing his belief that the Russian Federation may cease to exist within the next 12 years.
Hennadiy Ofitserov: We were all born in Kherson. However, in 1987, my family and I moved to Kamchatka for work. After my divorce in 1994, I returned to Kherson, while my ex-wife and son relocated to the Irkutsk region, where my son acquired Russian citizenship. Upon their return to Kherson in 1996, the change in citizenship didn’t pose significant issues. He held a residence permit and was a resident, so there were no special complications. However, when the war with Russia erupted in 2014, my son and I reassessed our stance. Since then, the Ukrainian flag has adorned our balcony, and Ukrainian has become our primary language of communication. My son initiated the process of renouncing Russian citizenship, encountering numerous challenges, including dealings with the Russian consulate. Ultimately, he did not secure Ukrainian citizenship, which presents a considerable predicament now. Although citizenship isn’t a factor during court hearings and investigations, it could play a crucial role in potential exchanges. The question arises: Will he, as a Russian citizen, be released in an exchange?
In Ukraine, my son is currently treated as a civilian prisoner. However, the future holds uncertainties about how a Russian citizen, who essentially resided in our country, can return to Ukraine.
We would like to emphasize that during the fourth meeting of advisers in Davos, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets urged the international community to urgently unite efforts to repatriate all Ukrainians unlawfully taken by Russian occupiers.
Lubinets underscored the mission to bring home Ukrainians who were taken as prisoners of war and illegally deported by Russia. He emphasized the immediate need for the international community to consolidate its efforts in this crucial direction.
«In Davos, our partners heard the voices of Ukrainian children whom we have brought home, relatives of civilians abducted and illegally detained by Russia. They were shocked by what they heard», — Lubinets stated.
In times of war, the program «Free our relatives» tells the stories of people, cities, villages, and entire regions that have been captured by Russian invaders. We discuss the war crimes committed by the Kremlin and its troops against the Ukrainian people.
The program is hosted by Igor Kotelianets and Anastasia Bagalika.
The coverage of war crimes resulting from Russia's war against Ukraine is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the framework of the Human Rights in Action Program implemented by Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.
Opinions, conclusions and recommendations presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government. The contents are the responsibility of the authors.
