Russian soldier sentenced to life in jail in unprecedented Ukrainian trial

[Starmix]

According to the report, a Ukrainian Court has handed down the first jail sentence for life against a Russian soldier for killing a Ukrainian prisoner of war.

Dmitry Kurashov, 27, was found guilty of shooting dead Vitalii Hodniuk, a veteran 41-year-old Ukrainian soldier who had surrendered following capture in 2024.

The report also stated that the Ukrainian national police said that expert reports, witness testimony, and video footage from the scene confirmed that the Russian soldier deliberately killed the POW on orders of his commanders, who had instructed troops not to take Ukrainian soldiers captive.

The report also stated that Kurashov initially pleaded guilty but later retracted, saying he had only done so to expedite the trial in the hope that he would be released in a prisoner swap. He maintained it was a Russian medic, who later died, who fired the shots that killed Hodniuk. Still, his version was refuted by other members of his own unit who were later captured by Ukrainian troops and were also being held as prisoners of war.

They said they saw Hodniuk emerge from the foxhole unarmed with his hands up after Kurashov called for Ukrainians to come out of their foxholes and surrender.

Although they did not witness the shooting because there were explosions at the same moment, all three said nobody but Kurashov had been around when they heard the gunshots. One said the medic accused by Kurashov was not present on the scene when the killing occurred.

Source: BBC

 

[gwolf666]

I believe this case sets a very important precedent in the context of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Personally, I believe that justice must be impartial and apply the law regardless of nationality or circumstances. The life sentence given to a Russian soldier for the murder of a prisoner of war shows that serious human rights violations in the midst of war will not be tolerated. It is crucial that these events be thoroughly investigated, as respect for prisoners' rights is a universal principle that must be upheld even in situations of armed conflict. Transparency in these proceedings also helps to strengthen international confidence in the justice system and demonstrates that the law cannot be violated without consequences. I hope that cases like these will serve to reinforce standards and prevent abuses in the future.

 

[Starmix]

The fact that the Ukrainian soldier surrendered and the Russian commander ordered not to harm the captive but still Jurashov killed Hodniuk. He didn't follow the protocols not to kill surrenderees. He deserved the verdict, much better if the killer was sentenced to a firing squad to test his own medicine.