A Russian soldier arrested in Ukraine for the first time since the start of the occupation is on trial for war crimes.
Russian Sergeant Vadim Shyshimarin is accused of shooting a 62-year-old Ukrainian in the head by pointing a gun through the open window of his car.
In the incident that took place near the village of Chupakhivka in the north-east of the country, an unarmed Ukrainian civilian was killed.
Under Ukraine’s laws defining war crimes, the Russian sergeant is likely to be sentenced to life imprisonment.
His lawyer, Victor Ovsyanikov, said that the prosecutor’s office has prepared a strong case, but it is not yet clear which elements the court in Kiev will accept as evidence in the case.
The Russian sergeant’s lawyer also stated that they have not yet made a decision on whether or not his client will plead guilty.
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venicetova announced that over 10,700 war crimes allegations were investigated against more than 600 suspects, including Russian soldiers and government officials.
Answering the questions of the BBC, Venicetova explained that their main goal is to put Russian President Vladimir Putin in the dock.
Ukrainian prosecutors are working to prove that there is a chain of command between crimes committed on the battlefield and the highest echelons of the Russian state, and that Vladimir Putin can be held responsible.
“This is of great importance not only for us Ukrainians, but for the whole world,” said the Ukrainian chief prosecutor, adding, “The world must stop dictators.”
Russia has not been a member of The Hague-based International Criminal Court since 2016.
Although Ukraine is not a member, it recognizes the jurisdiction of the court for crimes committed on its territory.