The ongoing war in Ukraine has killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, but that has not stopped one man, a 49-year-old Turkish migrant, from raping a 16-year-old Ukrainian girl after luring her to a hostel.
Ukrainian authorities in Mukachevo have detained the 49-year-old Turkish citizen, according to the Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor’s Office. The Transcarpathia region is in southwest Ukraine and is home to a large Hungarian ethnic minority, which numbered 150,000 before the war.
The Turkish man is accused of utilizing a deceptive online strategy, interacting with the minor through a dating site for several months using a fraudulent profile to hide his true identity and age.
According to the investigation, the man posed as a much younger individual to establish rapport and convinced the victim of his “sincere feelings.” Once he had gained her trust, he told her that he had traveled to Mukachevo specifically to meet her.
Upon her arrival at a local hostel, the suspect allegedly committed the assault. The victim kept her wits about her during the rape and was able to successfully distract the man long enough to covertly send her geolocation to her mother on her smartphone.
Police arrived at the hostel in time to intercept the foreigner as he attempted to flee the scene.
Following a search, officers recovered a significant quantity of narcotics and contraceptives on the man’s person. At the request of the juvenile prosecutor, the court has ordered the suspect to be held in custody without the possibility of bail, which is considered the most severe preventive measure available.
The individual’s actions have been qualified under Article 3, paragraph 3. 152 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to the rape of a minor.
The investigation is currently ongoing, and the suspect faces a potential prison sentence of 7 to 12 years if convicted.
