The Office of the Prosecutor General has reported suspicions against the former Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, the current Deputy Head of the Government of the aggressor country, Dmitry Patrushev, for committing war crimes in Ukraine.

This concerns his involvement in the appropriation of material assets of agricultural enterprises in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions during the period when the suspect held the position of Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation (February 24, 2022 - May 14, 2024).

The high-ranking official, in violation of international humanitarian law, facilitated the illegal export of stolen Ukrainian grain to Russia and the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, from where it was subsequently exported by sea under the guise of Russian-origin products to other countries around the world.

Additionally, during the investigation, prosecutors established that the suspect was involved in the implementation of Russian legislation in the occupied territories, changes in the ownership system, appropriation of other Ukrainian resources, and oppression of the local population.

Moreover, it is worth noting that none of the violated norms were justified by military necessity.

The actions of the suspect have been qualified by the prosecution under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine as war crimes in accordance with the norms of international humanitarian law. The involvement of other individuals from the political leadership of the aggressor country and the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation in committing war crimes on the territory of Ukraine is also being established.

Under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, the pre-trial investigation of the criminal proceedings is being conducted by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine with operational support from the employees of the Main Department of the National Statehood Protection Department of the Security Service of Ukraine.