Russian soldier to stand trial in Ukraine for executing civilians

This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine, Ukrinform saw.

Ukrainian defenders took the suspect prisoner in the Kupiansk warzone.

The perpetrator, Artem Kulikov, 21, is an ex-convict who signed a contract with the Russian invasion force while serving time for robbery and theft.

According to the inquiry, Kulikov, together with an accomplice, imprisoned two residents of a village in Kharkiv region during a purge, accusing them of helping a fellow villager evacuate the settlement.

The suspect applied violence to the detainees in an attempt to get information on the locations of Ukrainian forces in the area. Having failed to receive that information, Kulikov shot the two men point blank, firing off eight bullets and killing them on the spot, the investigation says.

During the interrogation, the suspect said Russian military commanders regularly order subordinates to kill civilians in the temporarily occupied territories.

Based on the evidence gathered, investigators pressed war crime and premeditated murder charges.

The indictment was forwarded to court. The culprit faces life in prison if found guilty.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Kherson regional police department is investigating the murder of a 15-year-old teenager by Russian servicemen in April 2022 in the village of Havrylivka.

First photo: ctrcenter.org