A Ukrainian court has handed down the first jail sentence for life against a Russian soldier accused of 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. Ukraine's national police stated that 'expert reports, witness testimony and video footage from the scene confirmed that the Russian soldier deliberately killed the POW on the orders of his commanders, who had instructed troops not to take Ukrainian soldiers captive.'
In a months-long trial which began earlier this year, the court heard how Kurashov's unit stormed a Ukrainian position in the region of Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 6 January 2024. The prosecution said that although Hodniuk crawled out of a dugout unarmed and surrendered, Kurashov shot him point-blank with several aimed AK-47 shots – a violation of the laws of war.
Kurashov and the rest of his unit were later overpowered by Ukrainian forces and taken as prisoners of war. Initially, Kurashov pleaded guilty but later retracted, claiming he had only done so to expedite the trial in hopes of a prisoner swap. He maintained that a Russian medic had fired the fatal shots, a version of events contradicted by his fellow unit members, who stated that they saw Hodniuk emerge with his hands up before the shooting began.
The case has highlighted serious concerns over war conduct, with the Ukrainian prosecutor claiming no sign of remorse from Kurashov. The sentencing follows reports of battlefield executions of prisoners of war by Russian soldiers and raises significant questions about accountability in this ongoing conflict. Ukrainian forces have also faced accusations of similar actions, but these have been less frequently reported. As the war continues, the legitimacy and consequences of such military actions remain a critical focus for both nations.
In a months-long trial which began earlier this year, the court heard how Kurashov's unit stormed a Ukrainian position in the region of Zaporizhzhia on the morning of 6 January 2024. The prosecution said that although Hodniuk crawled out of a dugout unarmed and surrendered, Kurashov shot him point-blank with several aimed AK-47 shots – a violation of the laws of war.
Kurashov and the rest of his unit were later overpowered by Ukrainian forces and taken as prisoners of war. Initially, Kurashov pleaded guilty but later retracted, claiming he had only done so to expedite the trial in hopes of a prisoner swap. He maintained that a Russian medic had fired the fatal shots, a version of events contradicted by his fellow unit members, who stated that they saw Hodniuk emerge with his hands up before the shooting began.
The case has highlighted serious concerns over war conduct, with the Ukrainian prosecutor claiming no sign of remorse from Kurashov. The sentencing follows reports of battlefield executions of prisoners of war by Russian soldiers and raises significant questions about accountability in this ongoing conflict. Ukrainian forces have also faced accusations of similar actions, but these have been less frequently reported. As the war continues, the legitimacy and consequences of such military actions remain a critical focus for both nations.
