Ukrainian court lowers Russian soldier’s war crimes sentence
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An appeals court in Kyiv on Friday reduced to 15 years the life sentence of a Russian soldier convicted in the first war crimes trial since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
The trial has been closely watched as an early test of whether it’s possible to conduct fair trials during the ongoing conflict and of how well Ukraine’s beleaguered justice system will stand up to the enormous task of prosecuting thousands of complex war crimes cases.
India's Modi likely to find comfort in Trump's return and a shared worldview
In Cyprus, Ukrainians learn how to dispose of landmines that kill and maim hundreds
Ukrainian soldiers focus on keeping Russian advances at bay and brace for storm to come from US
Russian defense official visits China's premier military showcase in a sign of unity
Critics said the sentencing of Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old contract soldier who pleaded guilty to killing a civilian and was convicted in May, was unduly harsh, given that he confessed to the crime, said he was following orders and expressed remorse.
His defense lawyer, Viktor Ovsyannikov, had appealed to the court to reduce the sentence to 10 years. He said it was highly likely Shishimarin would be returned to Russia in a prisoner exchange.