Russian soldier charged with war crimes in Ukraine pleads guilty

The Russian soldier who was put on trial for war crimes in Kyiv pleaded guilty on Wednesday.

21-year-old sergeant Vadim Shishimarin's case is the first war crimes investigation being conducted by Ukraine amid the war with Russia.

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Shishimarin has been charged with the death of a man in eastern Ukraine just days after the Russian invasion which was announced by President Vladimir Putin on February 24.

Shishimarin has been charged with war crimes and premeditated murder. Ukrainian officials had said earlier that the Russian soldier had admitted to killing the civilian.

Shishimarin apparently killed the 62-year-old man with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, Ukraine's prosecutor said. He and four other Russian soldiers had stolen a car and were travelling in a village called Chupakhivka in the Sumy region where Shishimarin allegedly killed the man.

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Ukrainian authorities said the Russian soldier was fighting to support his mother financially. It is the first war crimes indictment case in Ukraine even as it continues to fight against Russian forces.

Ukraine's chief prosecutor Iryna Venediktova informed that there are 11,000 ongoing cases of war crimes already with 40 suspects.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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