The leader of the Kharkiv gang "Zalyutynski" "Mitrusha" was detained in France

The leader of the Kharkiv gang "Zalyutynski" "Mitrusha" was detained in France

With the cooperation of Ukrainian police and the gendarmerie in France, the leader of the Zalyutynski gang was detained and arrested.

This was reported by the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police, the interlocutor of the UP in law enforcement agencies.

 

“The group specialized in car theft and property crimes on the territory of the Cote d’Azur of France. In Ukraine, before the full-scale invasion, the gang “squeezed” business from residents of the Kharkiv region.

To detain members of the criminal group, employees of the Department of Strategic Investigations, the Main Investigation Department of the National Police and the French Gendarmerie held joint events in both countries. The leader and members of the criminal organization were detained.

The message does not indicate the name of the leader, but, according to media reports, we are talking about Leonid Mitrov.

According to the investigation, after February 2022, members of the Zalyutynski criminal organization reoriented their activities outside the country. Before this, the sphere of their criminal influence extended to the territory of the Kharkiv region: with threats and violence, they forced people to transfer property or their shares in business to criminals. The bandits created unbearable business conditions for farmers or entrepreneurs, and then offered to solve these problems themselves for a fee.

It is noted that gang members were repeatedly detained by law enforcement officers for committing crimes. For example, in one of the episodes, the attackers demanded $700,000 from a farmer and to rewrite part of the business.

In 2021, police detained gang members in the center of Kharkiv - this case is now in court. Other members of the Zalyutinski, against whom investigative actions are ongoing, are outside Ukraine and have been put on the international wanted list.

In particular, law enforcement officers found out that the leader of the criminal organization is in France, where he created a new branch of the group. According to operational data, they “specialized” in property and serious crimes.

As a result of cooperation with colleagues from the French Gendarmerie, thanks to Europol channels, law enforcement officers established that the criminal group was involved in a number of crimes in the south of France. During 2023-2024, the defendants illegally took possession of cars, set fire to a vehicle, attacked citizens or stole property. Among the victims are citizens of France and Ukraine.

In agreement with the justice authorities of the French Republic and with the support of Europol, on July 2-4, law enforcement officers carried out joint activities in France and Ukraine to neutralize the group’s activities.

The leader of the group, a 43-year-old citizen of Ukraine, and his 44-year-old accomplice were detained in France. Earlier, French police detained another member of the separate Zalyutynski unit immediately after the car was stolen.

In addition, the police, together with the Office of the Prosecutor General, carried out investigative actions against persons involved in the activities of the Zalyutynski on the territory of Ukraine. Weapons, drugs, money, cars, rough notes, etc. were seized.

It is reported that the defendants detained in France have already been taken preventive measures in the form of arrest.

Further joint activities are being carried out to analyze the confiscated items and collect evidence to bring other defendants to justice, summarizes the DSR NPU.