The Department of Justice has charged four Russian-affiliated soldiers with war crimes against an American living in Ukraine, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Wednesday.

Suren Seiranovich Mkrtchyan, Dmitry Budnik — both of whom were commanding officers of military units of the Russian forces or allied troops — Valerii (last name unknown), and Nazar LNU were each charged in connection with the abduction and torture of the unnamed American victim, who was not fighting in the war.

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The American victim was living in Ukraine when he allegedly was abducted and held for 10 days, during which he was tortured and threatened with sexual assault and execution.

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“As the world has witnessed the horrors of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, so has the United States Department of Justice,” Garland said. “That is why the Justice Department has filed the first-ever charges under the U.S. war crimes statute against four Russia-affiliated military personnel for heinous crimes against an American citizen. The Justice Department will work for as long as it takes to pursue accountability and justice for Russia’s war of aggression.”

The DOJ has jurisdiction to prosecute war crimes committed against U.S. citizens abroad, due to a statute Congress passed nearly 30 years ago. It is the first time the department has filed charges under the war crimes statute.