Ukraine sentences a Russian soldier, Vadim Shishimarin to life in prison for killing a civilian

The 21-year-old soldier had confessed to the execution in court after he was sentenced to life in prison on Monday by a Solomianskyi district court in Kyiv after he confessed last week to the killing of a civilian during an operation by the invading Russian army in northern Ukraine.

Judge Sergiy Agafonov who prosecuted Solomiansky said he was charged for the killing of 62-year-old Oleksandr Shelipov during their invasion of Kremlin, Northeastern Ukraine.

The judges concluded that the murder was premeditated and rejected the defense argument that Shishimarin allegedly carried out the order because it was given by a military man other than his commander and the order itself was criminal. In addition, they did not consider his remorse sincere and rejected the allegations of the defense attorney, who had asked that the Russian be acquitted. According to the defense, the soldier will appeal .

During the trial, Shishimarin said he shot the man as he and several other Russian soldiers were retreating near the village of Chupakhivka in the Sumy region and trying to rejoin their units in Russia. “We wanted to get to where our army was and go back to Russia ,” Shishimarin explained. “On the road, while driving, we saw a man. He was on the phone and he said he would turn us in,” he continued.

Shishimarin explained that another Russian soldier who was traveling in the same car – who according to him was not his commander and whom he called an “unknown” soldier – told him to shoot. “He started saying in a forceful tone that he should shoot,” he testified in court. “ He told me that if he didn’t do it it could be dangerous. I shot him at close range and killed him,” he confessed.