A 21-year-old Russian soldier has been sentenced to life in prison for shooting a civilian to death, in Ukraine’s first war crimes trial.
The court in Kiev on Monday considered his guilt proven after the soldier’s confession that he shot a 62-year-old civilian amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This was the first case to be heard in court after the worldwide horror over Russian atrocities in Ukraine.
The shooting occurred in the village of Chupakhivka in the north-eastern Sumy region.
The soldier, who is from Siberia, said he acted on orders from his superiors.
He apologised during the trial and the prosecution asked for life imprisonment.
The defence argued for acquittal, saying the soldier was carrying out an order.
The sentence will only become final after a possible appeal.
It is possible that the man will be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.
