Russian soldier on trial in first Ukraine war-crimes case

[canetoad]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by JudyM (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Age

Kyiv: A 21-year-old Russian soldier has gone on trial in Kyiv for the killing of an unarmed Ukrainian civilian, marking the first war crime prosecution of a member of the Russian military from 11 weeks of bloodshed in Ukraine.

The soldier, a captured member of a tank unit, is accused of shooting a 62-year-old Ukrainian man in the head through an open car window in the northeastern village of Chupakhivka during the first days of the war.

Scores of journalists and cameras packed inside a small courtroom at the Solomyanskyy district court in Ukraine’s capital on Friday (AEST), where the suspect Sergeant Vadim Shyshimarin sat in a glassed-off area wearing a blue-and-grey hoodie, sweatpants and a shaved head.

He faces up to life in prison under a section of the Ukrainian criminal code that addresses the laws and customs of war. Ukraine’s top prosecutor, with help from foreign experts, is investigating allegations that Russian troops violated Ukrainian and international law by killing, torturing and abusing possibly thousands of Ukrainian civilians.



Read more: https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/russian-soldier-on-trial-in-first-ukraine-war-crimes-case-20220514-p5alar.html

[COL Mustard]

1. If he gets a fair trial

And is convicted, I hope they put him away for life. Russian soldiers appear to be nothing less than barbarians.

[Deuxcents]

2. This young soldier will be treated

A whole lot better than the Ukrainians have been treated. He has his arms n legs n his life. So young to be so heartless n cruel according to his offenses.

[TomSlick]

3. The prosecution appears to be well grounded in the facts and just.

The Russian soldier has appointed counsel. The Ukrainians appear to be following acceptable legal process.

I had been worried that the Russians would respond by trying captured Ukrainians on trumped-up charges but the Russians routinely torture and murder captured Ukrainians soldiers (and civilians) already without any pretext at legal process. A show trial and a public execution would be much better than the usual treatment of captured Ukrainians. There is no good reason that Ukraine should not enforce its law.

[JudyM]

4. Locking

Dupe of this earlier LBN story: https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10142915277