Human rights defenders: Vadim Kostenko's death to be investigated within criminal case

The family members of Vadim Kostenko, a contract soldier perished in Syria, should seek an institution of a criminal case on the fact of his death and a detailed investigation into its circumstances. This opinion was expressed by human rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Information about Kostenko's death, who served as a technician at the air base "Hmeymim" in Syria, appeared in the media on October 27. However, the date of his death was not specified. According to the Russia's Chief Military Prosecutor's Office, the first results of the check indicate that Kostenko had hanged himself "while off duty in connection with serviceman's adverse personal circumstances outside the military unit."

According to advocate Ivan Pavlov, the leader of the informal association of lawyers and journalists "Team 29", the society will raise questions regarding the death of contract soldier Vadim Kostenko.

Ivan Pavlov has noted that for the parents of the deceased contract soldier, it is very important to reveal the truth about the death of their son.

The advocate has also criticized the practice of sending contract soldiers without experience to "military hot spots".

"He has just completed his mandatory military service. He has served one year, and then he immediately went to the military enlistment office. From there, he was taken to a military hot spot... No 19-year-old guys, but really prepared people are to go there. I do not understand who could send a young man there," Ivan Pavlov has said.

Commanders have hastened to report that the contract soldier has committed suicide because of a quarrel with his girlfriend, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Valentina Melnikova, the executive secretary of the Union of Soldiers' Mothers Committees of Russia.

Valentina Melnikova believes that the family members of Vadim Kostenko should seek the assistance of human rights defenders in order to achieve the institution of the criminal case on the fact of his death.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.