The Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office discussed the preliminary results of the work to establish the facts of genocide in the Vitebsk region during the war

An operational meeting was held via video conference under the chairmanship of the Prosecutor of the Vitebsk region, Igor Ukrainets.

The agenda included the effectiveness of the investigation and working groups in establishing the facts of genocide committed on the territory of the Vitebsk region by Nazi criminals and their accomplices during the period of 1941-1945 and the post-war period.

The meeting was attended by employees of the regional prosecutor's office, representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office, prosecutors of cities and districts, and heads of investigative departments of the regions.

It was noted that, by the order of the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, working groups have been established in local executive authorities to assist in the investigation of this criminal case, including the collection and study of necessary information. Employees of archives and museums are also included in these groups.

In the institution "State Archive of the Vitebsk Region," prosecutors are studying and analyzing archival cases (more than 50 archival cases have already been studied). Information on the personnel of institutions and bodies of the occupation administration that operated in the districts of the Vitebsk region has been collected and analyzed.

Burial records of war victims have been obtained from local history museums.

For reference: more than 1,500 relevant burials have been registered in the Vitebsk region, including more than 300 civilians.

Currently, prosecutors are verifying the actual existence of the burials indicated in the records and conducting their inspections.

In turn, prosecutors have compiled working maps of the districts, indicating the established burial sites (according to the burial records).

To expedite the investigation of the criminal case, the composition of the investigative group has been expanded to include employees of the territorial departments of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus, along with prosecutors.

Lists of former prisoners of Nazi concentration camps, prisons, and ghettos are being checked, and their close relatives are being identified.

For reference: in the Vitebsk region

registered 2,640 people. When significant information is obtained, investigative actions are carried out with their participation, as well as with their relatives.

Particular attention is also paid to the work of establishing previously unknown (unaccounted for) burial sites of victims of Nazi criminals among civilians.

Currently, at least 12 previously unaccounted for and presumed burial sites of victims of Nazi criminals have been identified, 9 of which have been inspected using photographic recording means (Beshenkovichi, Vitebsk, Dokshitsky, Liozno, Polotsk, Senno districts). If possible, the inspection of the scene is carried out by excavation with the participation of an archaeologist from the 52nd separate special search battalion.

It was noted that most prosecutors properly organize the investigation of the criminal case, disregarding their personal time and the need to perform other official tasks (prosecutors of Beshenkovichi, Liozno, Polotsk, and other districts, Novopolotsk city). At the same time, there are a number of problematic issues on the ground.

Following the meeting, the Prosecutor of Vitebsk Region instructed those present in the hall and studios to intensify work in this direction by timely adoption of effective organizational and practical measures to improve the quality of procedural actions and search for significant information on the case.

Head of the Department of the Prosecutor's Office of Vitebsk Region
Roman Chudakov