Vilnius court sentences ex-OMON officer to 12 years for war crimes

VILNIUS – The Lithuanian Court of Appeals on Tuesday found former OMON officer Vladimir Razvodov guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, sentencing him to 12 years in the penitentiary.

The no guilty verdict handed down by the Vilnius District Court in 2015 was annulled.

Prosecutors say that Razvodov and another defendant, Boleslav Makutynovych, used intimidation and terror measures against persons protected by humanitarian law during the Soviet aggression against Lithuania in January through August of 1991. Makutynovych proclaimed to be the commander of the unit, while OMON officers subjected civilians to inhumane treatment.

Makutynovych is already deceased.

According to the indictment, Makutynovych supported Russia's aggression against Lithuania in 1991, seeking to disrupt the activities of state institutions and gave orders to members of their unit to use terror and intimidation against officials and police officers of the country that just restored independence. The OMON agents used to attack Lithuanian officers and police officers, taking their weapons and personal belongings, unlawfully detaining them and bringing to the seized building of then Lithuanian Police Academy.

OMON officers supporting the Soviet policies then demanded that Lithuanian officers closed down their post, cutting off telephone cables and setting the Lithuanian flag on fire, case information reads. Furthermore, they destroyed the post's premises, unlawfully searched customs and border officers and seized their belongings.