Melnik Svyatoslav Stepanovich

On August 28, 2024, in the Kursk region, soldiers Sergey Kharsun and sergeant Svyatoslav Melnik of the 61st Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were taken prisoner. A criminal case was opened against them for a terrorist act committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, resulting in significant damage. According to the Russian investigation, in August 2024, Harsun and Melnik, armed with combat weapons and explosive devices as part of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a "Kozak" car, crossed the state border of the Russian Federation. In the village of Cherkasskaya Konopelka in the Sudzhansky district, they took up combat positions in a hospital, and then in one of the residential buildings, from where they allegedly repeatedly opened fire on Russian servicemen and civilians. In addition, the military personnel, threatening to use weapons, intimidated and prevented the evacuation of the civilian population. For the duration of the investigation, the men were placed in prisoner of war detention facilities. 14 April 2025, the 2nd Western Military District Court found the defendants guilty and sentenced Sergey Kharsun to 15 years and Svyatoslav Melnik to 15.5 years in prison, with the first 5 years to be served in prison and the remainder in a strict regime penal colony. The verdict was not appealed and entered into legal force.