Russian judge charged in connection with the sentencing of a Ukrainian prisoner of war

Another war crime committed by the Russian Federation has been officially documented in Ukraine. Under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, a judge of the 2nd Western District Military Court of the Russian Federation has been notified of charges against him for issuing a knowingly unlawful verdict against a captured Ukrainian serviceman.

This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The investigation established that the victim is a soldier of the 17th Separate Heavy Mechanized Kryvyi Rih Brigade named after Kostyantyn Pestushko. The Ukrainian defender was taken prisoner by the Russians during combat operations in October 2024. Instead of holding him in accordance with international standards, the occupiers staged a show trial against him. A Russian judge sentenced the prisoner of war to 15 years in prison, effectively punishing him for his lawful participation in an international armed conflict and the defense of his country.

In rendering this decision, the representative of the Russian judicial system completely disregarded the fundamental requirements of international humanitarian law, in particular the key provisions of the Third Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War, which categorically prohibits the prosecution of combatants for the mere fact of their participation in hostilities.

Based on the evidence gathered, the Russian judge was notified in absentia of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war). The pre-trial investigation is ongoing with the aim of holding the perpetrator accountable under international and national law.

Three Ukrainian teenagers from Melitopol were convicted in Russia on terrorism charges. The boys were only 16–17 years old at the time of their arrest, and their sentences ranged from 7 to 8.5 years in prison.

The Second Western District Military Court in Moscow handed down sentences to five Ukrainian prisoners of war, sentencing them to terms ranging from 15 to 18 years in prison. The Russian court ruled that their participation in Ukraine’s offensive operation in the Kursk region constituted a “terrorist act.”