KYIV — A
Kyiv court on Monday found a
21-year-old Russian soldier who killed a civilian guilty of war crimes and
handed him a life sentence, in the first verdict against Moscow’s forces since
their invasion.
اضافة اعلان
“The court has found that (Vadim) Shishimarin is
guilty and sentences him to life imprisonment,” judge Sergiy Agafonov said.
The Russian sergeant admitted in court to killing
62-year-old Oleksandr Shelipov during the first days of the Kremlin’s offensive
in northeast
Ukraine. He was also found guilty of premeditated murder.
“The murder was committed with direct intent,” judge
Agafonov said. “Shishimarin violated the laws and customs of war.”
The soldier told the court last week that he shot
Shelipov under pressure from another soldier as they tried to retreat back to
Russia in a stolen car on February 28th, the fourth day of Moscow’s invasion.
Shishimarin apologized and asked Shelipov’s widow
for forgiveness.
The landmark ruling is expected to be followed by
others, with Ukraine opening thousands of war crimes cases since Russian
President Vladimir Putin sent in his troops.
The youthful serviceman looked on from the glass
defense box as the verdict was read out in Ukrainian. An interpreter translated
for him into Russian.
Shishimarin’s
lawyer Viktor Ovsyannikov said he will appeal the verdict. “This is the most
severe sentence, and any level-headed person would challenge it,” Ovsyannikov,
said, adding: “I will ask for the cancellation of the court’s verdict”. He said
that “you can feel societal pressure” on the court’s decision.
But prosecutor Andriy Syniuk said the ruling was
fair. “I consider the verdict to be lawful and justified,” he told reporters,
saying he was “completely satisfied” with the outcome. Human Rights
organizations have expressed hope that Ukraine’s trials against
Russian soldiers will be impartial and transparent.
The Kremlin said before the sentencing Monday that
while it was “concerned” over Shishimarin’s fate, it was unable provide
on-the-ground assistance because there is no Russian diplomatic presence in
Ukraine.
“That doesn’t mean we won’t try through other channels. The
fate of every Russian citizen is of paramount importance to us,” Kremlin
spokesman
Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Read more Region and World
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
