The first Russian soldier accused of war crimes is put on trial in Ukraine.
35The first Russian soldier accused of war crimes is put on trial in Ukraine.
On Friday, a preliminary hearing for the first war crimes prosecution that has resulted from Russia's invasion of Ukraine was heard in a court in Ukraine (May 13).
In a case that bears a great deal of symbolic value for Ukraine, a Russian soldier who was captured, identified as 21-year-old Vadim Shishimarin, has been charged with the murder of a civilian who was 62 years old.
The death occurred on February 28 in a hamlet in the northeastern part of Ukraine, which was four days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. The tank commander may face up to life in jail for the crime.
A police officer escorted Shishimarin inside the courtroom and to a glass enclosure reserved for defendants.
He talked to verify both his identity and his status as a serviceman in the Russian military.
His attorney has said that he would provide an explanation to the court on whether or not he disputes the charge at a later date.
After the hearing, state prosecutor Andriy Synyuk addressed the media and said the following: "The first case of the day is this one. But very soon, there will be a significant number of incidents like this."
Following the targeting of their column by Ukrainian troops, the prosecutor general's office issued a statement in which they claimed that the soldier had stolen a vehicle in order to flee with four other Russian personnel.
After that, the Russians are said to have driven towards the hamlet of Chupakhivka, where they saw a local who was riding a bicycle while chatting on the phone while remaining unarmed.
It is said that the suspect was given the order to murder the civilian in order to prevent him from reporting the Russians' presence, and that he carried out the order by firing multiple rounds at the victim's head through the open window of the automobile.
The guy passed away there and there.
The statement did not expand on the evidence that led to the allegations, nor did it explain how he was taken into custody.
According to the report, the inquiry into the matter was carried out by the SBU Security Service of Ukraine.
In the time leading up to the hearing, neither Shishimarin nor his legal team could be contacted for a remark.
The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv has leveled accusations of crimes and violence against citizens committed by Russia during the invasion.
It claims that it has identified over 10,000 potential violations of international law during the conflict.
Russia asserts that it did not attack civilians and accuses Ukraine of staging war crimes in order to cast its soldiers in a negative light.