Abuse in front of other children: 13-year-old suspected of torturing a boy

In one of the settlements of the Nerubayska community of Odesa Raion a 13-year-old teenager beat and strangled a 11-year-old boy for several hours. Other children watched the abuse and recorded it on video. The Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa region reported this on August 19 2026.

According to preliminary information, a female classmate invited the 11-year-old boy to go out and led him to a shelter. Several teenagers were already waiting for them there. One of them, a 13-year-old boy, out of spite began to beat and strangle the younger boy. He also forced the victim to kneel and apologize.

The abuse lasted for several hours in front of other children, who filmed everything on their phones. The boy sustained bodily injuries, but at first did not tell his relatives about the incident because of threats from the attacker. The victim’s mother contacted the police.

Law enforcement opened a criminal case under Art. 127 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Torture”. A series of examinations have been ordered, including a forensic medical examination, which should determine the severity of the injuries. After clarifying all the circumstances, the police will provide a legal assessment of the actions of each participant in the incident.

The police classified this case specifically as torture, however it occurred against the backdrop of a number of high-profile reports of violence and bullying among children in various regions of Ukraine.

Recently in Horodyshche in the Cherkasy region an 11-year-old girl died; her parents found her unconscious after possible medication intake. After the tragedy, a video circulated on social media showing another child beating the girl. The police opened two investigations and are checking whether the recorded conflict could be related to the child’s death. The investigation has not yet published final conclusions.

According to “Opendatabot”, in 2025 law enforcement officers drew up 285 reports on bullying in educational institutions. As of mid-May 2026, another 107 reports had been filed. At the same time, experts emphasize that official figures may not reflect the real scale of the problem, since some incidents go unreported.

Since August 11, 2026 an updated procedure for responding to bullying has been in effect in Ukraine. If signs of violence are detected in an educational institution, the administration must notify parents, the police and the child welfare service no later than three hours.

Previously we wrote:

• Teenagers beat her on video, and later she died: police investigate the death of an 11-year-old girl
• The girl was beaten, humiliated, and filmed: court handed down a verdict to a lyceum student
• In Mykolaiv region, two 11-year-old boys beat a classmate
• Insults, threats and even “jokes”: why the police may now be called to schools