Russian soldier jailed for life after killing POW in landmark Ukraine war ruling
Ukraine jails Russian soldier for life after he executed fighter who had surrendered
- Ukraine has sentenced Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov to life in prison for the battlefield execution of Ukrainian veteran Vitalii Hodniuk.
- Hodniuk, 41, was fatally shot by Kurashov after surrendering when his dugout was captured by Russian forces in January 2024.
- The sentencing, handed down at a court in Zaporizhzhia, marks a landmark first ruling for Ukraine in such a case.
- Prosecutor Mykyta Manevskyi described the crime as "one of the most serious" and emphasised its importance for Ukraine, while Kurashov, who pleaded guilty but later claimed innocence, hopes for a prisoner exchange.
- The case carries symbolic weight, with criminal investigations ongoing into the alleged murders of 322 Ukrainian servicemen who surrendered, and the UN reporting an "alarming rise" in executions of Ukrainian POWs, which are considered war crimes.