21-year-old Russian soldier appears in court as Ukraine war crimes trial begins

A 21-year-old Russian soldier went on trial in Ukraine on Friday (13 May), marking the first time that a member of the Russian military has been prosecuted for a war crime since the beginning of the conflict.

Vadim Shyshimarin appeared at the the Solomyanskyy district court in Kyiv. He is accused of shooting a 62-year-old Ukrainian man in the head in the northeastern village of Chupakhivka.

Shyshimarin faces up to life in prison if he is convicted under the Ukrainian criminal code.

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