An indictment is a procedural document drawn up by an investigator and approved by the prosecutor in accordance with the procedure established by law, which sets out the result of the preliminary investigation based on the materials of the criminal case, makes an accusatory conclusion about the need to send the criminal case to court; it is an appeal (claim) of the criminal prosecution authorities, it is on its basis that the court resolves the criminal case in the scope and framework specified in it.
The indictment is one of the main written procedural acts of the preliminary investigation, since its preparation is a crucial moment of the entire procedural activity of the investigator. This stage of the investigation has a number of legal features: the investigator recognizes the preliminary investigation completed and the collected evidence sufficient for drawing up an indictment, so he finally systematizes and formalizes the materials of the criminal case for presentation to the victim and the accused, formulates the findings of the preliminary investigation and draws up an indictment; the investigator must ensure the rights and legitimate interests of participants in the process; after signing the indictment, the investigator is to