May 23, 2022 - World

Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial

Erin Doherty

Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin of the Russian army appears at a sentencing hearing on May 23, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. — Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin appears at a sentencing hearing on May 23 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

A Ukrainian court on Monday sentenced a 21-year-old Russian soldier to life in prison for committing war crimes during Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, per multiple reports.

For the record: It's believed to be the first war crimes trial since Russia's invasion began in February.

Driving the news: Vadim Shishimarin was found guilty last week of firing several shots at and killing unarmed 62-year-old resident Oleksandr Shelipov, who was riding a bicycle by the roadside in a Sumy village near the Russian border.

Shelipov "died on the spot just a few meters from his home," said Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova, per the Washington Post.
Shishimarin admitted that he fatally shot Shelipov, but said that he was following orders.

The big picture: Venediktova said last month that her office had opened 5,600 cases of alleged war crimes by Russian soldiers since the start of the invasion.

Prosecutors have also filed criminal charges against 10 Russian soldiers accused of war crimes in Bucha, where at least 300 Ukrainians were tortured and killed.

Go deeper... What counts as a war crime and why they're so hard to prosecute

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Add Axios on Google

Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial

What to read next