**Russian General Charged for Ordering Missile Strike**
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has charged Russian Colonel-General Yevgeny Nikiforov in absentia for ordering a missile strike on a theater in Chernihiv that killed seven people and wounded 200. The SBU made the announcement on November 30.
Nikiforov, who is the commander of Russia‘s “West” grouping of troops, is accused of violating the laws and customs of war and premeditated murder. According to the SBU, Nikiforov ordered the strike on August 19, 2023, which targeted the Taras Shevchenko Chernihiv Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater.
**War Crimes Investigation**
The charges come as part of Ukraine’s investigation into nearly 143,000 alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces since 2022. Ukrainian authorities are pushing for an international tribunal to try alleged Russian war criminals, but bringing them to trial remains almost impossible during the ongoing war.
**Attack on Theater**
On August 19, 2023, Russian forces launched an Iskander-M cruise missile from Kursk Oblast in Russia that struck the theater. Seven people were killed, including a six-year-old child, and over 200 were wounded. The attack caused significant damage to apartment buildings, administrative buildings, and cars.
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