The first Russian soldier to stand trial for war crimes in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion has pleaded guilty today to all charges against him.
Among them is the murder of an unarmed civilian, the Russian edition of the BBC reports.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the murder was committed by 21-year-old Vadim Shishimarin in the Sumy region, when the column containing the soldier came under fire from the Ukrainian army. In an attempt to retreat, he and four other Russian servicemen took a foreign car and headed back to the border.
Shishimarin explains that the withdrawals saw a 62-year-old man talking on the phone in the village of Chupahivka. Another Russian soldier ordered Shishimarin to kill the man so as not to tell the Ukrainian fighters about them.
“I was ordered to shoot and I shot at him once, he fell. We escaped,” read Shishimarin’s testimony from the Security Service of Ukraine. The Kremlin declined to comment, arguing that there was a lack of information.
Asked if he unreservedly confessed to all crimes, including war crimes and premeditated murder, 21-year-old Sergeant Vadim Shishimarin said yes.
Today was the first substantive hearing of the Kyiv district court in the case. This is an extremely important process for Ukraine.
Shishimarin may receive a 10-15-year or even life sentence. For the Russian edition of the BBC, the lawyer of the serviceman explains that he would like to receive an acquittal without giving details.
Based on these testimonies and other materials, the prosecution believes that the sergeant fired several times with a machine gun through the open window of the car.
In early May, Ukrainian authorities announced Shishimarin’s arrest without giving details but released a video in which the soldier said he had come to fight in Ukraine to support his mother financially.
The most important of the 84th day of the war in Ukraine
Finland and Sweden have formally submitted their applications for NATO membership to NATO, renouncing their neutral status due to increased security risks after the start of the war in Ukraine. However, Turkey today blocked NATO’s decision to start a membership with them, questioning hopes of the two Scandinavian countries joining quickly.
The EU has announced how it will reduce its energy dependence on Russia by 2027, announcing a plan to save on consumption, diversify resources, and speed up the green transition. The plan also provides for the mandatory installation of solar panels on public and residential buildings.
Russia said on Wednesday that nearly 1,000 Ukrainian fighters at the Azovstal steel plant had surrendered, but a pro-Russian leader in Donbas said senior officials remained at the last stronghold of Russian resistance in Mariupol.
According to Kyiv, Russia is preparing for a protracted war in Ukraine, aimed at creating a land corridor to Crimea and occupying the southern regions of the country.
Moscow and Kyiv have confirmed that peace talks have been suspended, blaming each other for the lack of progress.
Canada has expanded its sanctions list to include Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was banned from entering the country, as well as nearly 1,000 other Russians. Moscow has announced that 43 French and 24 Italian diplomats have two weeks to leave Russia, declaring them persona non grata in response to the expulsion of Russian diplomats in April.
The first Russian soldier to stand trial for war crimes in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion has pleaded guilty today to all charges against him. Among them is the killing of an unarmed civilian.
Germany’s ruling coalition has decided to close the office of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is supported by taxpayers because he refuses to distance himself from Putin’s war in Ukraine.
A Ukrainian military plane has flown nine flights from Varna and Bourgas airports with cargo related to the defense industry, the government acknowledged, despite claims by the economic deputy prime minister that Sofia was not supplying weapons to Ukraine.
