MOSCOW, November 14 (RAPSI) - Russian investigators have charged in absentia four other Ukrainian officers with using of prohibited methods of warfare in Donbass region, acting spokeswoman for Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko told journalists on Monday.

Charges were brought against commanders of the 72nd, 92nd mechanized brigades, Col. Andrey Sokolov and Col. Viktor Nikolyuk, commander of the 44th artillery brigade, Col. Oleg Lisovoy and commander of the Army operational command “Yug” (South) Andrey Grishchenko, Petrenko said.

Last week similar charges were brought against commander of the 1st battalion of the 14th mechanized brigade, Lt. Col. Mykhaylo Prokopiv and commander of the 10th mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Lt. Col. Vasily Zubanich.

Investigators claim that on March 15 and 16, 2016, officers of the 72nd and 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigades and their subordinates deliberately opened artillery fire on Yasinovataya and Staromikhailovka settlements in the Donetsk region damaging local civilian facilities and houses.

On March 16, in yet another incident servicemen of the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade bombarded a house located near the town of Gorlovka, as a result harm was caused to two local residents.

On March 24 and 28, 2016, a local resident was wounded and several houses were demolished after two districts of the city of Donetsk had been chosen as an aim for the artillery of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade.  

Besides, a criminal case was opened over the shelling of houses in the town of Makeyevka by heavy artillery on October 27, 2016. As a result of this bombardment two local residents died and several other were wounded, including a 6-year-old girl. Damage was caused to some civilian facilities.