Ukraine jails two Russian soldiers for 11-1/4 years for shelling civilians

Alexander Bobikin, Alexander Ivanov and Alexander Ivanov listened to last week's verdict while standing in a reinforced box at the Kotelevska District Court in central Ukraine.

Standing in front of a Ukrainian flag, Judge Evhen Bolybok declared that "The guilt of Bobikin & Ivanov have been proved in full."

The prosecution had requested 12 years. However, defence lawyers argued that it should be eight years. This was because the soldiers had pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and been following orders.

Both men answered yes to the question after the verdict. Two guards with Kalashnikov rifles, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, seized the pair and led them out the courtroom.

Both men admitted last week that they were part of an artillery group that fired on targets in Kharkiv using Grad missiles from Russia’s Belgorod region.

Prosecutors claimed that the shelling had caused significant damage to infrastructure and houses across several border settlements, as well as an educational facility in Derhachi. However, no casualties were reported.

Bobikin and Ivanov were described as artillery drivers and gunners. They were captured crossing the border and continued the shelling.

A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier for the murder of an unarmed civilian on 23 May.

Kyiv accused Russia of atrocities against civilians during the invasion, and claimed it has identified over 10,000 war crimes.

Russia denies targeting civilians and participating in war crimes, while conducting what it calls a "specially military operation" in Ukraine