Russian Soldier Sentenced to Life in Prison for War Crimes

MAY 12 2022·Updated DEC 30 2022

Story

Image credit: AP [via Washington Post]

The Facts

Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old Russian Sergeant was found guilty Mon. of killing a 62-year-old unarmed civilian in Ukraine's first war crimes trial since Russia's invasion. Shishimarin was sentenced to life in prison.
wapo
In the trial, the Sergeant pleaded "guilty" but said he had been acting on orders from his superiors. The court in Kyiv found Shishimarin guilty of premeditated murder and violating "the rules and customs of war" under Ukraine's criminal code.
CBS News
The trial of Shishimarin is reportedly the first of many to follow. The prosecutor stated that conviction of Shishimarin could send a message to other Russian troops if they're caught committing war crimes.
CNN
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin is "concerned" about Shishimarin. Peskov said Russia doesn't have many opportunities to protect their citizen's interests in Kyiv but said Russia will seek other ways of assisting him. Previously Russia has said it considers the charges "unacceptable," "outrageous" and "staged."
CNN
Shishimarin's sentence may be appealed within 30 days.
Al Jazeera

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The scale of atrocities committed by the Russian army in Ukraine is yet to be assessed, as cases of rape, murder, torture, and mass burials keep piling up. Sgt. Shysimarin's trial is but the first step in a long road to holding Russia - which has been accused of nearly 10K war crimes over the course of the war - accountable.

Kyiv Post

Anti-Russia narrative

The scale of atrocities committed by the Russian army in Ukraine is yet to be assessed. Cases of rape, murder, torture, and mass burials are piling up. Sgt. Shysimarin's trial will be the first of many, as Ukraine claims Russia has committed nearly 10K war crimes over the course of the war.

Kyiv Post

Establishment-critical narrative

While nothing justifies alleged Russian war crimes, where was the outrage when systematic human rights abuses were being committed by Ukrainian forces over the past eight years of war in the Donbas? Ukraine certainly turned a blind eye when nationalists created a prison at the Mariupol airport in June 2014, subjecting residents to brutal treatment for even the suspicion of harboring sympathies for Russia.