Russian military commanders have been charged in connection with the attack on the Chernihiv Drama Theater
Three Russian military personnel have been notified that they are suspects in the case involving the missile strike on the Chernihiv Drama Theater on August 19, 2023. According to investigators, the commander of the Russian Armed Forces’ “West” Military District, his chief of staff, and the commander of the missile and artillery forces were involved in organizing and carrying out the attack. The investigation into the case is ongoing.
According to the prosecutor’s office, charges have been filed against three high-ranking Russian military officers. Among them are the commander of the Russian Armed Forces’ “West” military group, his chief of staff, and the commander of the missile forces and artillery. Investigators believe that these military officials organized the preparations and carried out the missile strike on the Chernihiv Drama Theater. Law enforcement agencies are continuing the pre-trial investigation and are establishing all the circumstances of the attack.
What is known about the strike on the drama theater
Russian troops launched a missile strike on the drama theater in Chernihiv on August 19, 2023. At the time, the city was hosting a large-scale event called “Luti Ptashky Demo Day.” The attack resulted in civilian deaths and injuries. The strike also damaged the drama theater building and other structures in the city center.
Separately, law enforcement officials continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the event itself. According to the prosecutor’s office, no one has been charged in this case so far. Investigators are examining, in particular, the actions of the organizers of “Luty Ptashky Demo Day” and officials involved in its organization.
Thus, there are already three suspects in the case of the Russian strike on the drama theater—Russian military personnel whom investigators believe were involved in organizing and carrying out the missile strike. At the same time, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mass event in Chernihiv is proceeding separately. This is stated in the response from the Chernihiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office to a request from Censor.NET.
As a reminder, over the past 24 hours, on August 4, Russian troops killed three civilians in the Donetsk region and wounded another 31 people.
In July 2026, the Russian army used 8,385 guided aerial bombs (GABs) equipped with universal planning and correction modules (UPCMs) against Ukraine. This is the highest figure since the start of the full-scale war.
