A soldier fighting for Russia during its conflict with neighbouring Ukraine has been sentenced to life in jail over war crimes he committed. A court in Ukraine heard that Vadim Shishimarin killed a 62-year-old man during the early days of the war which has now been going on for three months. The 21-year-old sergeant pleaded guilty to the charge, HullLive reports.
The soldier shot the civilian in the head through an open car window while fighting in the Sumy region of north-eastern Ukraine on February 28, four days after the invasion began. Shishimarin is a captured tank unit officer and was prosecuted under part of the Ukrainian criminal code which looks at war laws and customs.
Iryna Venediktova, Ukraine's prosecutor general, has said previously that her office is investigating war crimes against 41 Russian troops. These range from killing civilians, looting, rape and bomb attacks on infrastructure used by the public.
