‘I acknowledge my blame… I ask you to forgive me’ – the words of a 21-year-old Russian soldier on trial for war crimes in Ukraine, specifically the killing of an unarmed 62-year-old civilian in the northeast Ukrainian village of Chupakhivka on February 28, just four days into what Russia called a ‘special military op’.
Vadim Shishimarin, attached to a tank division, is the first Russian soldier to stand trial for war crimes in Ukraine and pleaded guilty Wednesday.
“I realize that you can’t forgive me, but I’m pleading you for forgiveness.”
Shishimarin is accused of firing an assault rifle at the head of a civilian, the husband of Kateryna Shalipova. However, asked if he had been obliged to follow an order amounting to a war crime, he said ‘no’ and insisted the man – who was on his mobile phone – could have sent their location to Ukrainian forces.
He also said he had first disobeyed the order and only complied after another officer repeated the command in a more forceful tone.
Kateryna told the court she was at home when she the shots; “I ran over… he was already dead. Shot in the head. I screamed, I screamed so much,” she said. She said her husband had been unarmed and was dressed in civilian clothes. They had a 27-year-old son and two grandchildren together, she added.
Kateryna also told the court she would not object if Shishimarin were released to Russia as part of a prisoner swap to get ‘our boys’ out of Mariupol – the port city defended fiercely by hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers who, after weeks of a brutal siege, have given themselves up to Russian forces.
Shishimarin could, otherwise, face life in prison were he to be sentenced.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of killing civilians and committing war crimes as Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour rumbles in to a fourth month.
Kyiv prosecutors say they know of at least 10,000 such incidents. Russia, though, has denied targeting civilians or involvement in war crimes.
Shishimarin’s trial is being closely watched as the first of its kind in relation to the conflict in Ukraine. Investigators have been collecting evidence of other possible crimes to bring before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
With input from AP, Reuters
