Two Russian soldiers who admitted to bombing villages in the Kharkiv region were sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison on Tuesday by a Ukrainian court.
Alexander Bobikin and Alexander Ivanov pleaded guilty last week violation of the laws and customs of war for actions taken on the first day of the Russian invasion, February 24.
The two soldiers were accused of launching Grad missiles at critical infrastructure and apartment buildings villages in Kozatchia Lopan and a school in Veterynarné, in the Kharkiv region.
The firing was initially carried out from the Belgorod region, Russia, but continued after the unit of two soldiers crossed the Ukrainian border.
After the destruction of their military range, two soldiers, a driver-loader and an artilleryman, were captured by the Ukrainian army.
” The guilt of Bobikine and Ivanov was fully proven. “
The prosecution sought a 12-year sentence against them, while the defense in turn sought clemency from the judges, arguing that the two men simply followed orders and expressed their regret.
This is the second test of its kind since the war in Ukraine began.
On May 23, a Russian soldier was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an unarmed civilian in the country’s first organized war crime trial.
Source: Radio-Canada
