Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK) has brought charges against former Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak in connection with artillery strikes at the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republic which claimed civilians’ lives, the SK press service said on Telegram.   “Poltorak, who occupied the post from 2014 through 2019, is accused as overall commander of Ukrainian army units, whose criminal actions left more than 530 civilians dead, more than 970 civilians wounded and 2,000 infrastructure facilities damaged or destroyed,” the press service said.   The SK said that measures were being taken to establish his whereabouts and arrest him.   Earlier, the SK said that on the strength of the evidence gathered as of April 2, 2022, charges had been brought in absentia against 22 senior Ukrainian military officials implicated in Donbass civilian casualties.  The 22 military, charged with the use of banned means and methods of war, are also accused of genocide against Russian-speaking civilian population.   The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014.  The peace talks that began soon thereafter failed to reach tangible results due to Kiev’s position to settle the conflict by force.   The Lugansk People’s Republic acceded to Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referendum. *i*ie