Lawyer Viktor Ovsiannikov asks a Ukrainian court to pardon Russian military man Vadim Shishimarin, who killed a civilian in Sumy oblast.
He stated this during the court hearing.
The lawyer emphasizes that Shishimarin obeyed the order because he was threatened by an allegedly senior military man named Kufakov. Ovsyannikov also claims that his client did not make target shots and did not want to kill a civilian.
"He carried out the order, albeit a criminal order. And he killed a civilian," Ovsiannikov said. The lawyer also drew the courtʼs attention to the fact that Shishimarin was raised in a large family and surrendered.
"I believe that Shishimarin is innocent of committing the crime he is accused of," the lawyer said.
The defendant himself said that he regretted what had happened, he did not want to, but "it happened."
"I sincerely repent. At that moment, I was nervous when it all happened," said Shishimarin.
The Russian occupier faces life imprisonment. The court will announce his sentence on May 23.
- According to the investigation, on February 28, a military Shishimarin killed an unarmed resident of Chupakhivka, Sumy oblast, who was riding a bicycle along the roadside. Prior to that, the column, which included Shishimarin, was broken by the Ukrainian military.
- Vadim Shishimarin became the first Russian serviceman to stand trial for killing a civilian.