ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (Reuters) -A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier on Thursday to life in prison after finding him guilty of killing a Ukrainian prisoner of war, the first time Ukraine has jailed a suspect on such charges.
The court in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia found Dmitry Kurashov, 27, guilty of shooting dead Vitalii Hodniuk, a Ukrainian soldier who had surrendered in January 2024 when his dugout was captured by Russian forces.
Kurashov, who was taken prisoner by Ukrainian
forces along with other Russian troops soon after the incident, pleaded guilty in court, although he later told reporters that he was innocent and wanted to be exchanged in a prisoner swap.
He told Reuters after the ruling that he did not plan to appeal.
His sentencing carries symbolic importance for Ukraine, which says Russian forces have executed numerous Ukrainian prisoners of war, but that the suspects are usually outside their jurisdiction.
Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, denies its troops carry out war crimes.
The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission said in February that it had recorded an "alarming rise" in reported executions of Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian armed forces in the preceding months.
International humanitarian law prohibits the execution of prisoners of war and the wounded, and regards it as a war crime.
'ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS CRIMES'
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office told Reuters that criminal investigations were underway into the murder of 322 Ukrainian servicemen who had unconditionally laid down their arms and/or surrendered since the 2022 invasion.
"This is one of the most serious crimes, it's an important matter for Ukraine, because such cases should not remain without consideration and an appropriate sentence," said Mykyta Manevskyi, the lead prosecutor in the case, after the verdict.
Kurashov, who lost his left eye while fighting Ukraine, joined one of the Russian military's "Storm V" assault units in exchange for early release from prison where he was in custody for theft, according to Ukrainian authorities.
At the end of his trial, he chose not to say anything for his "last words" to the court.
Before the verdict was read, he stood subdued with his arms crossed in front of him. He declined to answer most questions from reporters, but smiled slightly when asked if he hoped to be released in a prisoner swap.
Kurashov's defence lawyer, who did not show up to hear the verdict, earlier told the court that a 10-year custodial sentence would be fair, while the prosecution pushed for a life sentence.
"It's not too much for such a crime," Manevskyi said after a life sentence came down.
(Reporting by Inna VarenytsiaWriting by Tom BalmforthEditing by Peter Graff)
