Recently, the Department of Security Service of Ukraine in the Sumy region under procedural supervision of the Sumy Regional Prosecutor’s Office region issued a Notice of Suspicion to Lieutenant General Sergey Kisel for his role as Commander of the 1st Tank Army of the Western Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Kisel is suspected under Article 437(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine of “waging an aggressive war or aggressive military operations.” The Notice of Suspicion is available in Ukrainian here.
Under Kisel’s command, units of the 1st Tank Army, including up to 16 tank battalions, motor rifle units, and 25 artillery battalions, invaded the Sumy region as part of a “blitzkrieg” plan aimed at a rapid advance towards Kyiv. The operation envisaged swiftly capturing Konotop, Nizhyn, Pryluky, Sumy, Okhtyrka, and Trostianets immediately after crossing the border, without engaging in large-scale combat. The broader objective was to advance towards Pryluky–Brovary, block Kyiv from the east, and, in coordination with the “Centre” grouping of forces, encircle the capital by the end of the second day of the operation.
However, in practice, Kisel’s subordinate forces failed to carry out the offensive in the directions of Sumy and Okhtyrka, sustained significant losses in personnel and equipment, and were forced to withdraw further east in the Sumy region. There, they occupied parts of the Okhtyrskyi district, including Trostianets, Boromlia, and other settlements. Between 24 and 25 March 2022 units of the 1st Tank Army ultimately withdrew to the territory of the Russian Federation.
In December 2024 and January 2025, the Mobile Justice Team North (MJT North) at Global Rights Compliance (GRC) supported the Sumy Regional Prosecutor’s Office in the case against Sergey Kisel by mapping, structuring, and analysis of evidence. MJT North prepared a list of evidentiary materials and developed tools for their prioritisation. This work may support future prosecutions of commanders subordinated to Kisel in relation to extensive war crimes committed in and around Trostianets (Sumy region).
GRC’s MJTs are part of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, a multilateral initiative established by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom to support Ukrainian law enforcement and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting international crimes committed in the context of the full-scale armed conflict.