A Russian soldier has been charged with kidnapping and raping a 21-year-old Ukrainian woman.

Law enforcement officials have announced charges against a 31-year-old Russian soldier who abducted a resident of Kharkiv region and transported her to Belgorod, where he physically assaulted and sexually abused her for over a year. This was reported on Wednesday, January 29, by the press service of the National Police.

According to investigators, in March 2022, when the Izium district of Kharkiv was under occupation, the Russian soldier forced a local 21-year-old woman to engage in sexual relations with him, and the following month he committed another crime.

On June 13, he, along with Russian soldiers with call signs "Ibrahim" and "Maga," broke into the girl's home, threatening to shoot her family, and forced her to gather her belongings and documents to leave with him.

“Fear for the life and health of her loved ones compelled the girl to comply with the demands of the criminals. The occupiers placed her in a cargo truck and took her to the border checkpoint ‘Verihivka’ in the Valuysky district of Belgorod region, where they forced her to go through passport control,” the statement reads.

In Belgorod, the Russian soldier kept the girl captive, and to prevent her from escaping, he fortified the apartment's windows and balcony with iron bars, keeping the entrance door locked at all times. For over a year, the occupier systematically raped and beat the captive.

“Such systematic beating, psychological suffering, illegal imprisonment, and sexual slavery drove the girl to attempt suicide. The victim was able to escape captivity only after the accused was detained by the military law enforcement of the Russian Federation for evading military service,” police reported.

With the help of volunteers, the girl managed to return to Ukraine and reported the crime to law enforcement, detailing the actions of the occupier.

Currently, the police have announced charges against the 31-year-old Russian soldier for committing war crimes (Part 1 of Article 438, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The penalties outlined in these articles include imprisonment for up to 12 years.

It is worth noting that on January 29, it became known that Russians held several residents of the village of Dvorichna captive and killed one of them. The police of Kharkiv region have initiated an investigation.