The Finnish Prosecutor’s Office has announced plans to investigate Yan Petrovsky, the former commander of Russian neo-Nazi paramilitary group Rusich, on suspicion of committing war crimes in Ukraine prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, national broadcaster Yle reported on Dec. 15. The prosecutor’s office stated that the potential war crimes were committed before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. “The case concerns actions against injured Ukrainian soldiers who were wounded or had surrendered as prisoners of war during the [2014-2021] conflict in eastern Ukraine,” the report said. The preliminary investigation will be conducted in Finland as Petrovsky cannot be extradited to Ukraine. According to the Finnish Supreme Court decision, Finland is unable to consent to extradition due to the conditions of detention in Ukrainian prisons. Finnish authorities have the jurisdiction to investigate the alleged crimes in Ukraine, as covered by international treaties ratified by both countries. Read also: Investigation launched as video reveals Russian troops using Ukrainian POWs as human shields during assaults Petrovsky, nicknamed Veliky Slavyan (Great Slav), is the second-in-command of the “Rusich” Sabotage Assault Reconnaissance Group, a Russian far right and neo-Nazi paramilitary unit that operates within the Russian army, engaging in conflict against Ukrainian forces. The group is also known to have connections with the Wagner mercenary group.
vi yahoo news: Finland to investigate neo-Nazi Yan Petrovsky’s war crimes