Russian soldier pleads guilty to war crimes after shooting unarmed Ukrainian man
A Russian soldier has pleaded guilty to war crimes after he confessed to shooting an unarmed Ukrainian man.
Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, is the first Russian to face a war crime trial — and thus the first to be convicted of a war crime — in Ukraine since the invasion began in February.
According to prosecutors at the district court in Kiyv, Shishimarin and four others tried to escape after their tank convoy came under attack on Feb. 28. They stole a car and drove to the village Chupakhivka, about 200 miles east of Kyiv, and came across a 62-year-old civilian riding a bicycle and talking on his phone. Shishimarin was ordered to kill the man so he wouldn’t give away their location. He shot several times from the car and killed the man instantly.
Ukraine’s State Security Service officials say the shooting was caught on video and prosecutors showed another video in which Shishimarin describes the incident.
“I was ordered to shoot,” Shyshimarin said. “I shot one (round) at him. He falls. And we kept on going.”
Ukraine has said it has documented more than 10,000 war crimes committed by Russian soldiers.
Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova previously said her office was readying war crimes cases against 41 Russian soldiers, including for murdering civilians, rape, targeting and destroying civilian infrastructure, looting and other crimes.
Investigators plan to present evidence to The Hague, as well.
He now faces life in prison in Ukraine, which has a section of its criminal code dedicated to warfare.
According to The Associated Press, Russia is reportedly preparing war crimes charges against Ukrainian soldiers and officials.
With News Wire Services
