The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has officially charged one of the most dangerous international mercenaries fighting on the side of the Russian Federation. The individual in question is Davor Savichich — a 46-year-old citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia, who led the sabotage and reconnaissance unit known as the 'Wolves.' His name has long been known to law enforcement agencies worldwide, but now his dossier has been updated with new, serious episodes.
A Professional Fighter with a Bloody Past
Savichich is no random figure in the ranks of Russian aggression. He is a veteran of conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and is already under international arrest warrant by Interpol. He has repeatedly faced legal consequences for the illegal creation of armed formations and participation in hostilities. Both the United Kingdom and Ukraine have long included him in their sanctions lists, yet this did not prevent him from signing a contract with the Russian private military company 'Redut' at the end of 2021.
His mission was clear: to recruit mercenaries and form strike groups. Between February and April 2022, his unit 'Wolves' operated as part of the 'East' grouping, actively participating in the occupation of the Vyshhorod and Bucha districts of Kyiv Oblast.
Evidence of Atrocities in Bucha
The investigation revealed that Savichich's base was located in a forest area between the villages of Shybene and Krasny Rog. From there came the orders that led to the tragedies of civilians. According to the SBU, the mercenary personally directed the abduction and torture of a 39-year-old man in the village of Fedorivka.
The victim, who had been hiding in a shelter during shelling, was taken out of the basement under the escort of about 20 armed soldiers. Savichich ordered the man to be stripped, his hands tied, and then taken into the forest. There, the torture began: the mercenary beat the victim with the butt of an assault rifle, trying to force false confessions for Russian propaganda media. As a form of intimidation, accomplices tied the man to a tree along with a grenade without a pin.
Having failed to obtain the desired confessions, Savichich ordered a pit to be dug. In this underground cell, the victim spent seven days without food or water, continuing to suffer beatings and humiliation.
Tragedy of an ATO Participant's Family
Savichich is also implicated in the brutal treatment of the wife of an ATO participant. The woman was abducted from her apartment in Ivankiv, held for three days in a cramped van under inhumane conditions, and then brought to a field tent for interrogation. The mercenary threatened her with retribution, demanded information about the Ukrainian Defense Forces, and forced her to record an interview for Russian propaganda.
After the liberation of Kyiv Oblast, investigators discovered the body of her husband in a forest pit where the occupiers were based. The identification of the specific perpetrators of the murder is ongoing, but Savichich's role in these events is evident.
Legal Qualification
Based on the collected evidence, the SBU has issued a warrant for Savichich's arrest in absentia under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This is classified as war crimes committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy. This case serves as further confirmation that Ukraine will not leave unpunished any international mercenary who has stained their hands with the blood of civilians.
