Azatbek Omurbekov
{{Short description|Russian soldier (born 1983)}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Colonel
| name = Azatbek Omurbekov
| native_name = Азатбек Асанбекович Омурбеков
| native_name_lang = ru
| image = Azatbek Omurbekov.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|9|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Nukus, Karakalpakstan, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union (now Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan)
| allegiance = {{flag|Russia}}
| branch = Russian Ground Forces
| serviceyears =
| rank = Colonel
| unit =
| commands = 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
| battles = {{tree list}}
{{tree list/end}}
| awards = Hero of Russia (condecorated for his military actions in Bucha)
| spouse =
| children =
| relations =
}}
Azatbek Asanbekovich Omurbekov{{Efn|{{bulleted list|{{Langx|ru|Азатбек Асанбекович Омурбеков|translit=Azatbek Asanbekovich Omurbekov}}|{{Langx|kaa|Азатбек Асанбек уулу Өмүрбеков|translit=Azatbek Asanbek ūlu Ömürbekov}}|{{Langx|uz|Озодбек Ҳасанбек ўғли Умрбеков}}, {{Langx|uz|Ozodbek Hasanbek oʻgʻli Umrbekov|label=none}}}}|group=lower-alpha}} (born 17 September 1983) is a Russian colonel who commanded the 64th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the Russian Ground Forces during its deployment in Ukraine, during which the unit allegedly committed war crimes in the town of Bucha. He has been referred to in some media{{cite web |last1=Cole |first1=Brendan |title=Who Is Azatbek Omurbekov? Commander Believed To Be Behind Bucha Killings |date=6 April 2022 |url=https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-war-azatbek-omurbekov-putin-bucha-1695385 |work=Newsweek |access-date=7 April 2022}} and by the European Union{{cite web |title=Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/883 |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022D0883&from=EN#page=22 |website=Official Journal of the European Union |publisher=European Union |access-date=14 March 2023}} as the "Butcher of Bucha".
In 2022, Omurbekov was sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom,{{cite web |title=New sanctions targeting Putin's war leaders |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-sanctions-targeting-putins-war-leaders |publisher=UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office |access-date=14 March 2023}} and Canada{{cite web |title=Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations: SOR/2022-98 |url=https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2022/2022-05-25/html/sor-dors98-eng.html |website=Canada Gazette |date=25 May 2022 |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=14 March 2023}} for his actions in Ukraine. The United States sanctioned the entire 64th Brigade.{{cite web |title=Targeting Russia's War Machine, Sanctions Evaders, Military Units Credibly Implicated in Human Rights Abuses, and Russian Federation Officials Involved in Suppression of Dissent |url=https://www.state.gov/targeting-russias-war-machine-sanctions-evaders-military-units-credibly-implicated-in-human-rights-abuses-and-russian-federation-officials-involved-in-suppression-of-dissent/ |publisher=U.S Department of State |access-date=14 March 2023}}
Personal life
Azatbek Asanbekovich Omurbekov was born on 17 September 1983. There are conflicting reports where he was born. Social media suggests he was born in Jaynak, Nukus, Karakalpakstan in the Uzbek SSR. Media reports indicate that Omurbekov was born in Soviet Uzbekistan.{{cite news |last1=Tondo |first1=Lorenzo |title=The 4-metre-wide board detailing the entire Russian military chain of command in Ukraine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/14/the-4-metre-wide-board-detailing-the-entire-russian-military-chain-of-command-in-ukraine |access-date=14 March 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=14 March 2023}} His grandfather, a veteran of the Eastern Front during World War II, is from Nukus, Karakalpakstan. His father, Federal Security Service (FSB) Colonel Asan Omurbekov, served in the military all his life, including guarding the Uzbek border for nearly 10 years. His brother, Askarbek Omurbekov, is reportedly lieutenant colonel in the Russian FSB.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-11 |title=Видео – Подполковник Азатбек Өмүрбеков Москвада жана Хабаровскидеги Жеңиш параддарында мотоаткычтар бригадасын жетектеп өттү - Kyrgyztoday.org |url=https://kyrgyztoday.org/archives/458051 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006021456/https://kyrgyztoday.org/archives/458051 |archive-date=6 October 2023 |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=Kyrgyztoday.org - Маалымат сайты |language=kk}}
Russian military career
In 2014, Omurbekov received an award for outstanding service from then Russian deputy defense minister Dmitry Bulgakov.
In November 2021, Omurbekov reportedly received a blessing from the Russian Orthodox Church.{{Cite web |title=Qui est Azatbek Omurbekov, surnommé le boucher de Boutcha? |url=https://www.rtl.fr/actu/international/guerre-en-ukraine-qui-est-azatbek-omurbekov-surnomme-le-boucher-de-boutcha-7900142374 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=rtl.fr |date=7 April 2022 |language=fr-FR}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-06 |title='Butcher of Bucha' was blessed by the Orthodox Church before 'war crimes' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/butcher-of-bucha-identified-ukraine-b2052074.html |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=The Independent |language=en}} Omurbekov and the 64th Brigade's role in Bucha were first reported by Ukrainian NGO InformNapalm.{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Will |title=Hunt for Russian commanders in charge of Bucha atrocities as colonel named |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/hunt-russian-commanders-charge-bucha-091727695.html |access-date=14 March 2023 |work=Evening Standard |via=Yahoo! News |date=2022-04-22}}
By the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Omurbekov commanded 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army in the Russian Army. The unit killed, raped and tortured civilians in Bucha, Ukraine during the Bucha massacre that occurred while the city was under Russian occupation in March.
File:The city of Bucha after liberation from the Russians 01.jpg
By 13 July 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded him the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, Russia's highest award, in a secret ceremony.{{cite web |last1=Fomina |first1=Ekaterina |title="Dispose of Them," the Commander Ordered |url=https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/dispose-them-commander-ordered |publisher=Pulitzer Center |access-date=15 March 2023}} Later in 2022, he was transferred to command the 392nd District Training Centre.{{Cite web |title=Командование |url=http://veteran-129-div.ru/komandovanie.html |access-date=2023-08-14 |publisher=Council of Veterans of the 392nd District Training Center}}
= Sanctions =
In April 2022, the United Kingdom sanctioned Omurbekov for his "involvement in the Bucha massacre". In May, Canada added Omurbekov to its sanctions list. In June, European Union sanctioned Omurbekov for his role as commander of the 64th Brigade, claiming Omurbekov had "direct responsibility in killings, rapes and torture in Bucha." The United States sanctioned the entire 64th Brigade for "killing numerous civilians, detained civilians, beat detained civilians, conducted mock executions of civilians, dismembered civilians including removing parts of their scalps and removing their limbs, burned civilians, and seized and damaged civilian homes and property" in Bucha.
Notes
References
{{reflist}}
{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Omurbekov, Azatbek}}
Category:Russian military personnel of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:Russian military leaders
Category:Russian people of Kyrgyzstani descent
Category:Fugitives wanted by Ukraine
Category:Russian individuals subject to European Union sanctions
Category:Russian individuals subject to United Kingdom sanctions