Photo: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
A Russian soldier from 21 years old pleaded guilty to killing an unarmed civilian in Ukraine’s first war crimes trial since the war began.
Vadim Shishimarin admitted to shooting a man from 62 years a few days after the invasion began. He faces life in prison.
The prisoner was led into the tiny kyiv courtroom in handcuffs, flanked by heavily armed guards. He seemed nervous and kept his head down.
Just a couple of meters from him, the widow of the murdered man was sitting.
He dried his Tears welled up as the soldier entered the courtroom and then sat with his hands clasped as the prosecutor made his case and described the moment Kateryna’s husband was shot in the head.
“Do you accept your guilt?” asked the judge. “Yes”, replied Shishimarin.
“Totally?” “Yes,” he answered quietly from behind the glass of his gray metal and glass cage.
Prosecutors say Shishimarin was in charge of a unit in a tank division when his convoy was attacked.
He and four other soldiers stole a car and, while traveling near Chupakhivka , they met the man of 62 years old on a bicycle, they said.
According to prosecutors, Shishimarin was ordered to kill the civilian and used a Kalashnikov assault rifle to do so.
The Kremlin previously said it was not informed about the case.
Shishimarin’s trial was adjourned shortly after the civilian’s widow first heard the Russian soldier admit to the murder. This high-profile hearing will restart on Thursday in a larger room.
Kateryna, the widow of 62 years, spoke with the BBC before leaving court.
He was asked about how he was dealing with his loss.
Kateryna said: “I’m really sorry for him. But for a crime like that, I can’t forgive him”.
“With this first trial, we send a clear signal that every perpetrator, every person who ordered or helped in committing crimes in Ukraine will not avoid responsibility,” Ukraine’s Chief Prosecutor Iryna Venediktova tweeted.
Venediktova previously said her office was preparing war crimes cases against 41 Russian soldiers.
Moscow has denied that its troops have attacked civilians.
Shishimarin’s trial is being closely watched as investigators have been collecting evidence of possible war crimes to present to the International Criminal Court ( ICC) in The Hague.
The ICC is sending a team of 41 investigators, forensic experts and country support personnel. Ukraine has also created a team to preserve evidence that will allow for future prosecutions.
Read plus
Ukraine continues evacuation of Azovstal and holds first war crime trial
Russia says that 694 Ukrainian military surrendered in AzovstalSweden and Finland submit to NATO their application to join the alliance