The first Russian soldier tried for killing an unarmed civilian in Ukraine is sentenced to life in prison: “I apologize”

Vadim Shishimarin He is the first Russian soldier to stand trial for war crimes in Ukraine and today he was sentenced to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian in the region Sumy on February 28, four days after the start of the Russian invasion of the country at dawn.

The 21-year-old Russian had pleaded guilty at the opening of the trial last week. The Ukrainian justice considered that the Russian soldier had committed premeditated homicide and, therefore, applied the maximum penalty provided for in its Penal Code.

Shishimarin was the commander of unit 32010 of the 4th division of the Kanteirovskaya Guard from the Moscow region. When they were fleeing, along with others russian soldiers they stole a car. On the way they met the victim, who was pushing a bicycle and talking on the phone, when he was shot.

Russian soldier apologizes and apologizes

“We wanted to get to where our army was and go back to Russia. On the way, while driving, we saw a man. He was on the phone and said that he would hand us over, ”said the Russian in his defense, emphasizing that another soldier told him to shoot because it would be dangerous. “He told me that if he didn’t do it he could be dangerous. I shot him at close range and killed him,” he recounted.

The wife of the deceased was present at the trial, who asked the Russian soldier what he felt when he killed her husband, for which he only managed to ask for forgiveness. “What did you feel when you killed my husband? Tell me, please, ”said the woman. “Fear. I understand that you probably won’t be able to forgive me. But I beg your pardon,” replied the soldier.

“We have opened more than 11,000 investigations for war crimes and arrested 40 suspects,” according to the attorney general of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova. “With this first trial, we send a clear signal: no executioner, no person who ordered or helped commit crimes in Ukraine is going to escape justice,” she added.

Source-elpopular.pe