“I shot him so that my fellows would get off my back”: Russian soldier accused of war crime explains himself in Ukrainian court 

Vadim Shishimarin, the first Russian soldier taken to court in Ukraine for committing a war crime, has explained the motives behind his murder of Oleksandr Shelypov, a 62-year-old resident of Chupakhivka near Sumy. He claims he shot the civilian by command of an unknown soldier, Graty reports from the Kyiv courthouse.

The 21-year old sergeant of the Russian army told the court that he had been in a car with fellow soldier Ivan Maltisov, warrant officer Makeev, senior lieutenant Kalinin and another unknown soldier. They jacked the car after their convoy had been defeated.

The unknown soldier who was in the car commanded Shishimarin to murder the civilian to avoid being reported to the Ukrainian army. “The unknown soldier turned to me and started to yell at me, he ordered me to shoot the man because I was exposing ourselves to danger. […] When I took my shot, the unknown soldier told me not to worry because I had to do this for our own safety. I didn’t want to kill him, I just wanted my fellows to get off my back and stop yelling at me,” Shishimarin said.

He also said that he was aware he had been invading Ukraine on 24 February, following an order from a superior officer.

“Did you know that Ukraine is an independent country? Did you know anything about Ukraine?” the judge asked Shishmarin. The Russian replied: “I wasn’t really curious about this.”

Shishimarin admits he was aware that the man he murdered was a civilian. He also agreed he could have acted in a different way, intimidating the man instead of killing him. “I consider this an unacceptable crime, I deserve a maximum punishment. I plead guilty,” he said. He also addressed Ekateryna, Shelypov’s widow. “I understand that you’re never going to forgive me, but still, I apologise,” he said to her.

Ekateryna Shelypova also appeared in court. “When the gunfire stopped, I went outside and saw my husband. He was already dead, shot in the head. I started to cry, I was really loud,” the woman said.

She believes that Shishimarin deserves a life sentence. “But I wouldn’t mind if he was exchanged for one of the Azovstal defenders,” she added.

Yaroslav Ushchapyvsky, the proseсutor, has insisted that Shishimarin serve a lifetime sentence, taking the widow’s opinion into consideration.

Shishimarin, served as a commander of a tank crew based in Moscow. He is accused of violating warfare laws and customs, as well as felonious murder, and is facing a minimum of 10 years in prison, up to life sentence.

Anton Herashchenko, an official advisor at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, published a video with Shishmarin earlier. In the video, Shishmarin says that he ‘is treated fine’ and that he surrendered himself willingly.