By Patrick Jackson | BBC News |
A court in Ukraine has jailed a Russian tank commander for life for killing a civilian at the first war crimes trial since the invasion.
Captured soldier Sgt Vadim Shishimarin was convicted of killing Oleksandr Shelipov, 62, in the north-eastern village of Chupakhivka on 28 February.
He admitted shooting Mr Shelipov but said he had been acting on orders and asked forgiveness of his widow.
Multiple other alleged war crimes are being investigated by Ukraine.
Moscow has denied its troops targeted civilians during the invasion, despite a wealth of evidence to the contrary, while Ukraine says more than 11,000 crimes may have occurred.
Moscow said earlier on Monday that it was concerned at the fate of the Russian soldier and would look at options to defend him.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted, however, that Russia did “not have the capacity to protect his interests in person”. Russia’s embassy in Kyiv is currently closed.
Imposing the life sentence, Judge Serhiy Agafonov said Shishimarin had carried out a “criminal order” by a soldier of higher rank.
“Given that the crime committed is a crime against peace, security, humanity and the international legal order… the court does not see the possibility of imposing a [shorter] sentence of imprisonment,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Shishimarin, wearing a blue and grey hooded sweatshirt, watched proceedings silently from a reinforced glass box in the courtroom and showed no emotion as the verdict was read out, Reuters notes.
His lawyer said an appeal would be lodged against the verdict.
Shishimarin, 21, served in Russia’s prestigious Kantemirovskaya tank division.
At the time of the killing, he and other soldiers were travelling in a car they had seized after their convoy came under attack and they became separated from their unit.
When they spotted Mr Shelipov he was speaking on his phone, Shishimarin told the court. He says he was told to shoot him with an assault rifle.
His defence lawyer told the court on Friday that Shishimarin had only fired after twice refusing to carry out the order to shoot and that only one out of three to four rounds had hit the target.
He said Shishimarin had fired the rounds out of fear for his own safety and he questioned whether the defendant had intended to kill.
In one dramatic moment during the trial, the victim’s widow Kateryna Shelipova confronted Shishimarin. “Tell me please, why did you [Russians] come here? To protect us?” she asked, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s justification for the invasion of Ukraine.
“Protect us from whom? Did you protect me from my husband, whom you killed?”
The soldier had no answer to that. Asking forgiveness of the widow earlier, he said: “But I understand you won’t be able to forgive me.”
Mrs Shelipova told the BBC: “I feel very sorry for him but for a crime like that – I can’t forgive him.”
Moscow is evil
Mola Kaiz Kajokoto what bout Washington when they killed millions in middle East and in Africa is that what you call saint???
Leon Chard killing is killing we won’t accept that.
Mola Kaiz Kajokoto and those ones who are supplying with weapons ???
Leon Chard do you mean weapons of defense. To try and help the innocent civilians who are being killed in their own country?
Leon Chard the evils of U.S. cannot holify the barbaric act of Putin!!
when you break a window and sneaks into someone’s bedroom and trying to steal a phone you can also be accused of raping his wife
Thy still have prisons ah
How about your Western master’s war crimes against Libyans ,Iraqis ,to list few. You fo*l do you think your lies worth to be taken serious?
Russia all the way, as long they are fighting maBritish and Americans I will go for the later
Simba Hopewell they are not fighting British or Americans. They are fighting a very weak nation which they still fail to defeat causing them to start fighting civilians instead. I think you being a ZANU PF, you have no idea what really happens in the outside world. You actually worship Mnangagwa
Elvis Kay whatever, as long as they fight vasina mabvi sponsored I will always support Russia
Simba Hopewell vasinamabvi ndevapi manje.
Simba Hopewell a person that supports communism is a a true idea that if a woman has been abused in marriage for too long, she will think that man that don’t beat up their wives are not man enough. You were born under Mugabe leadership and transferred to Mnangagwa means that you are a product of buttered human syndrome. All the wrongs you encounter, you believe they are norms. Russia cannot win a normal war. They still have World War II fighting mentality in their minds. They still use World War II equipment. Who uses AK 47, a weapon at current age
Elvis Kay and America has won which nomal war
Elvis Kay Mozambique and DRC were helped by which soldiers shem on you
Simba Hopewell munangagwa newe same whatsapp group hona price Yeoil from 40s USD to 100+ USD zvikonzerwa nerassia. Sometimes musangorembedza madzoro muchitadza kuafungisa
Hanti Ivo vakabatawo ma Ukrainian soldiers here
Kuzim vanongouraya madiro.havabvunzwi havo. But next year zvapera
Thats war thus why war in not good what did they expect in war
Jailed by who
Russia will free him when they eventually take Kiev anyway
Does it mean in a war civilians cannot be killed? What about the old adage ” when two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffer”?
Russia needs to pull out now. WARS MUST STOP
What about Putin who started the war