KYIV: A Ukrainian court sentenced a captured Russian soldier to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for killing a civilian, and Kremlin indicated that it might prosecute some of the fighters who surrendered Mariupolof Steelworks.
Meanwhile, in a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, a veteran Kremlin diplomat resigned and sent a scathing letter to foreign allies on Monday in which he said of the invasion, “I’ve never felt so much.” Not ashamed of my country on February 24.”
In addition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for “maximum” sanctions against Russia In a video address to world leaders and officials at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Separately, it revealed one of the deadliest single attacks of the war, a missile attack on a village near Kyiv that killed about 90 people.
And on the battlefield, heavy fighting broke out donbass To the east, where Moscow’s military has intensified its bombings. Cities not under Russian control were continuously shelled, and a Ukrainian official said Russian forces targeted civilians trying to flee.
In what may be the first of a multitude of war crimes trials conducted by Ukraine, Russian Sgt. Vadim ShishmarinThe 21-year-old was sentenced in the early days of the war for killing a 62-year-old man by shooting him in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumi region.
Shishimarin, a member of a tank unit, claimed he was following orders, and apologized to the man’s widow in court.
His Ukraine-appointed defense lawyer, Viktor Ovsyannikov, argued that his client was unprepared for a “violent military confrontation” and mass casualties when Russian troops invaded. He said he would appeal.
Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating thousands of possible war crimes. In Mariupol, Russian forces bombed a theater where civilians were taking refuge and attacked a maternity hospital. In the wake of Moscow’s return from Kyiv nearly weeks ago, mass graves were discovered and bodies strewn across the streets in cities such as Buka.
Before Shishmarin was sentenced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was unable to defend the soldier but would consider trying to do so “through other channels”.
Mary Ellen O’Connell, an expert in international law at the University of Notre Dame, said that putting Shishimarin on trial could prove “extremely harmful to Ukrainian troops in Russian hands”. He said Russia may decide to conduct a “show trial” of Ukrainians to boost the morale of its troops and spread propaganda.
Russian officials have threatened to conduct tests of captured Ukrainians – that is, fighters that were conducted at the broken steel plant of Mariupol, the last bastion of resistance in the strategic southern port city. He surrendered and was taken prisoner last week, at which point Moscow claimed the capture of Mariupol was complete.
Russia’s main investigative body said it wanted to question Mariupol’s defenders to “identify the nationalists” and determine whether they were involved in crimes against civilians.
Russian officials have captured the far-flung origins of a regiment there, calling fighters of the Azov regiment “Nazis” and accusing their commander without evidence of “many atrocities”. Russia’s top prosecutor has asked the country’s Supreme Court to designate the Azov Regiment a terrorist organization.
Family members of the fighters have called for their return to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap.
Elsewhere, Boris Bondarev, a veteran Russian diplomat at the UN office in Geneva, stepped down and sent a letter condemning the “aggressive war waged” by the Russian president. Vladimir Putin, bondarev told the Associated Press: “What my government is doing now is unbearable.”
In his letter, Bondarev stated that those who envisioned war “wanted only one thing – to remain in power forever, to live in pompously tasteless palaces, sailing on yachts, and the cost for the entire Russian Navy, unlimited.” Enjoying power and complete impunity.”
He also said that Russia’s foreign ministry is all about “war, lies and hatred”.
At the Davos Forum, Zelensky said sanctions against the Kremlin should be extended further. He urged a ban on Russian oil, a complete cut-off of trade and the withdrawal of foreign companies from the country.
Later, in his evening address to the nation, Zelensky said four missiles killed 87 people last week in the city of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 mi) north of Kiev. He said the deaths were counted after clearing the debris.
On the battlefield, Russian forces increased their bombardment of the Donbass, the eastern industrial stronghold of coal mines and factories, which Russia is intent on capturing.
Donetsk’s regional governor, Pavlo Kirilenko, said three civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Monday and heavy fighting continues near the Luhansk region. The Donbass includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
He said that the Russians were destroying cities in an attempt to capture them. Of the region’s pre-war population of 1.6 million, only 320,000 are left, and Russian forces are targeting evacuation efforts, he said.
“They are killing us. They are killing the local people during the evacuation,” said Kirilenko.
In the Luhansk region, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, local officials reported that a bridge leading to the administrative center of Svyarodonetsk was destroyed, leaving the partially surrounded city accessible by only one road.
Meanwhile, in a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, a veteran Kremlin diplomat resigned and sent a scathing letter to foreign allies on Monday in which he said of the invasion, “I’ve never felt so much.” Not ashamed of my country on February 24.”
In addition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for “maximum” sanctions against Russia In a video address to world leaders and officials at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Separately, it revealed one of the deadliest single attacks of the war, a missile attack on a village near Kyiv that killed about 90 people.
And on the battlefield, heavy fighting broke out donbass To the east, where Moscow’s military has intensified its bombings. Cities not under Russian control were continuously shelled, and a Ukrainian official said Russian forces targeted civilians trying to flee.
In what may be the first of a multitude of war crimes trials conducted by Ukraine, Russian Sgt. Vadim ShishmarinThe 21-year-old was sentenced in the early days of the war for killing a 62-year-old man by shooting him in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumi region.
Shishimarin, a member of a tank unit, claimed he was following orders, and apologized to the man’s widow in court.
His Ukraine-appointed defense lawyer, Viktor Ovsyannikov, argued that his client was unprepared for a “violent military confrontation” and mass casualties when Russian troops invaded. He said he would appeal.
Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating thousands of possible war crimes. In Mariupol, Russian forces bombed a theater where civilians were taking refuge and attacked a maternity hospital. In the wake of Moscow’s return from Kyiv nearly weeks ago, mass graves were discovered and bodies strewn across the streets in cities such as Buka.
Before Shishmarin was sentenced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was unable to defend the soldier but would consider trying to do so “through other channels”.
Mary Ellen O’Connell, an expert in international law at the University of Notre Dame, said that putting Shishimarin on trial could prove “extremely harmful to Ukrainian troops in Russian hands”. He said Russia may decide to conduct a “show trial” of Ukrainians to boost the morale of its troops and spread propaganda.
Russian officials have threatened to conduct tests of captured Ukrainians – that is, fighters that were conducted at the broken steel plant of Mariupol, the last bastion of resistance in the strategic southern port city. He surrendered and was taken prisoner last week, at which point Moscow claimed the capture of Mariupol was complete.
Russia’s main investigative body said it wanted to question Mariupol’s defenders to “identify the nationalists” and determine whether they were involved in crimes against civilians.
Russian officials have captured the far-flung origins of a regiment there, calling fighters of the Azov regiment “Nazis” and accusing their commander without evidence of “many atrocities”. Russia’s top prosecutor has asked the country’s Supreme Court to designate the Azov Regiment a terrorist organization.
Family members of the fighters have called for their return to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap.
Elsewhere, Boris Bondarev, a veteran Russian diplomat at the UN office in Geneva, stepped down and sent a letter condemning the “aggressive war waged” by the Russian president. Vladimir Putin, bondarev told the Associated Press: “What my government is doing now is unbearable.”
In his letter, Bondarev stated that those who envisioned war “wanted only one thing – to remain in power forever, to live in pompously tasteless palaces, sailing on yachts, and the cost for the entire Russian Navy, unlimited.” Enjoying power and complete impunity.”
He also said that Russia’s foreign ministry is all about “war, lies and hatred”.
At the Davos Forum, Zelensky said sanctions against the Kremlin should be extended further. He urged a ban on Russian oil, a complete cut-off of trade and the withdrawal of foreign companies from the country.
Later, in his evening address to the nation, Zelensky said four missiles killed 87 people last week in the city of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 mi) north of Kiev. He said the deaths were counted after clearing the debris.
On the battlefield, Russian forces increased their bombardment of the Donbass, the eastern industrial stronghold of coal mines and factories, which Russia is intent on capturing.
Donetsk’s regional governor, Pavlo Kirilenko, said three civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Monday and heavy fighting continues near the Luhansk region. The Donbass includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
He said that the Russians were destroying cities in an attempt to capture them. Of the region’s pre-war population of 1.6 million, only 320,000 are left, and Russian forces are targeting evacuation efforts, he said.
“They are killing us. They are killing the local people during the evacuation,” said Kirilenko.
In the Luhansk region, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, local officials reported that a bridge leading to the administrative center of Svyarodonetsk was destroyed, leaving the partially surrounded city accessible by only one road.