Potapov Igor Anatolevich (Potapov Igor Anatoliyovich)

In April 2022, in Mariupol, Russian military captured a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a sergeant of the special forces unit "Azov", Igor Potapov. A month later, a criminal case was opened against him for cruel treatment of the civilian population in the occupied territory, the murder of three people as part of an organized group on the grounds of political, ideological hatred, and an attempted murder of two or more people as part of an organized group on the grounds of political, ideological hatred. According to the investigation, Potapov, following orders from his command, twice in March 2022, along with his comrades, fired on civilian vehicles carrying civilians on the road using automatic firearms and large-caliber weapons. As a result of criminal actions, three people were killed, one man was wounded, but thanks to timely medical assistance, he survived. On December 23, 2023, the Supreme Court of the Donetsk Republic found Igor Potapov guilty and sentenced him to 20 years in a strict regime colony. March 14, 2024, the First Appellate Court of General Jurisdiction increased the sentence: it increased the term of imprisonment to 25 years. Also, a criminal case was opened against Potapov for participating in a terrorist community and undergoing training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities. The reason for the criminal prosecution was service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of the nationalist "Azov" battalion, recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia. On October 21, 2025, the Southern Military District Court found Igor Potapov guilty and, in combination with the previous sentence, sentenced him to 28 years in a strict regime penal colony.