It is the first war crimes trial in the war of aggression against Ukraine: a Russian soldier is sentenced to life imprisonment by a Ukrainian court in May. His lawyer appeals - with success.
A Ukrainian court has reduced the sentence for the first convicted Russian war criminal on appeal. Vadim Shishimarin was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the court in Kyiv said. In May, the judges sentenced the then 21-year-old to life imprisonment.
The young man had admitted shooting an unarmed 62-year-old man on a bicycle. He stressed that he acted under pressure from another soldier. The two were on their way back to Russian territory in a stolen car.
It was the first verdict in a war crimes trial after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Shishimarin's lawyer had appealed, saying the verdict was influenced by societal pressures. He had asked for an acquittal because the soldier had carried out an order and argued that he was unprepared for the "violent military confrontation" and mass casualties suffered by the Russian army.
After the first verdict was announced in May, the Kremlin said Moscow was looking for ways to help the accused. "Of course, we are concerned about the fate of our fellow citizens," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax news agency. It is considered possible that the man will be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners in Russia. Like Ukraine, Russia has taken many soldiers captive.
