Putin’s soldiers ‘who shot dead three young volunteers as they took food to dog shelter unmasked’

Ukrainian investigators claim to have unmasked Putin‘s soldiers who allegedly shot dead three young volunteers as they took food to a Kyiv dog shelter, with one probable killer later being given the name ‘Hero of Russia’.

The investigation focuses on Nastia Yalanska, 26, Maksym Kuzmenko, 28, and Serhii Ustymenko, 25, three friends who were killed by Russian soldiers on March 4, 2022, while delivering dog food to an animal shelter in the Ukrainian town Zabuchchia. 

The film Bucha – Final Destination, published by Suspilne Ukraine a year after their deaths, includes heartbreaking testimonies by the mothers of the three volunteers, one of whom found their bodies after they were killed.

On March 4, 2022, shortly after 9am, Russian BMD’s – airborne combat vehicles – rolled up at the bottom of Kyievo-Myrotska Street in Bucha.

At the same time, Nastia, Serhii and Maksym were getting ready to leave the village of Hatne near Kyiv to deliver dog food to an animal shelter nearby.

Nastia’s mother Yuliia received a video showing the supplies in the car before their departure, with a voice in the background saying: ‘They are going to where the shelling is’. 

Shortly before 10am, the first gunshots were heard on the street, and local residents said they went to hide.  

Volodymyr Asaulov, 64, who was watching his grandchildren with his wife in their house in Bucha, saw a car on fire outside their house and went outside to help as he thought people ‘might be on fire’. 

He took a photo of the burning car at 10.42am, just moments before he was shot in the head and killed. 

His wife said: ‘They did not aim for an arm or a leg. They shot him in his head. They wanted to kill him.’

As Volodymyr took the last photo of his life, friends Nastia, Serhii and Maksym were driving towards Bucha, as videos taken by Nastia from the backseat of the car reveal. 

They wanted to visit Serhii’s parents, who lived on Kyievo-Myrotska Street, which their car turned onto at 11.43am, with Serhii’s family home being just a few minutes away.

They didn’t know that there were Russians ahead, or that a civilian – Volodymyr – had already been killed by soldiers near their destination.  

Their bodies were found by Serhii’s parents. Maksym died immediately after he was shot in the head while driving, but Nastia managed to jump out of the car. 

She was shot in the legs, and Serhii, who also managed to escape from the car, threw himself over her to cover her – ‘but they were just finished off’, Nastia’s mother said.  

Serhii’s mother Cepгiя tearfully said: ‘When he was born, his father carried him in his arms. He did the same when we found the children’, while breaking down in tears. 

‘He didn’t come to their home, but they came to his home and killed him in front of his house.’

Maksym’s mother Makcиma asked: ‘How could this happen? How could civilians be shot up?’ 

Nastia’s mother added: ‘Serhii was wearing a hat with pompoms, Nastia was wearing a light jacket and her long hair was clearly visible. There was nothing that would indicate any military affiliation. 

‘They were just driving a civilian car with three young people as passengers. They were not a military threat.’

The journalists recreated the events of March 4, 2022, minute by minute, and identified the Russian unit commander, who was later awarded the title of ‘Hero of the Russia federation’.

Hanna Kalaur, one of the investigative journalists at Suspilne involved in the film, said: ‘The Russians started shooting civilians as soon as they entered Bucha. They did not distinguish between civilians and military. 

‘It would have been very difficult to investigate these war crimes if we had not received a fragment of video from a surveillance camera that captured the first Russians walking down the street shortly before the killings.’ 

They managed to identify this soldier called David Makarenko, who was captured clearly on a security video of a shop on Kyievo-Myrotska Street. 

He later revealed to the journalists who else was with him that day. 

Sergeant Yevgenii Darmograi, another sergeant called Georgii Burduli, who died on March 21, 2022, according to Russian media reports as well as lieutenant Colonel Dosiagaiev, who is posthumously referred to as ‘Hero of Russia’, were in charge when the four civilians were killed on March 4, 2022, in Bucha. 

They journalists have handed over their evidence to law enforcement officials. 

Inna Biletska, editor-in-chief of the investigative department at Suspilne, worked on the investigation with her team for three months. 

She said it proved emotionally difficult to tell the story of Nastia, Serhii and Maksym but added: ‘Our experiences cannot be compared to those of people who have lost their children, as in this story. 

‘We talked to three mothers of cool young people who could see very clearly what their future would be like. Their pain is much greater. 

‘We can try to become some kind of minimal support, and most importantly, not to harm in any way, not to retraumatise these people, to help them tell the best they remember about their children, the best they want the world to know about their children.’

Their mothers offered insight into their young lives.

Serhii always loved cars and even with 25 had little toy cars lining his room, his mother remembered. 

Cepгiя added: ‘He didn’t tell me that he was volunteering, that he was going somewhere. Because I was hoping he was safe in Kyiv. When I asked him where he was, he said Kyiv.’

She said: ‘I raised a son who has never even kicked a cat. And then a scumbag came and shot him. In his back.’

Nastia’s mother said ever since she was a child, Nastia loved music, theatre and travelling. She added: ‘She was always determined and knew what she wanted. After attending university in Kyiv, she got a job working in IT. I was so proud of her.

‘She was a light for so many people. That’s what I call her now. My light. She has turned into light. Just light, that’s all. My little star.’ 

Maksym was a ‘calm boy’, always laughing and supporting others, his mother said. ‘He made everyone around him laugh. He was always surrounded by friends who spent a lot of time with him. 

‘He would ask to bring five friends home, and then it would be ten. He also loved his family,’ Makcиma said.

Makcиma said she knew her son working as a volunteer was something that ‘had to be done’ and added: ‘If someone needs help, you help.’