A lawyer for the first Russian soldier on trial in Kyiv since the invasion started has told a court his client is not guilty of murder or war crimes.
Vadim Shishimarin has admitted killing an unarmed 62-year-old man in a Ukrainian village.
Lawyer Viktor Ovsyannikov argued that Shishimarin carried out an order from someone of a higher rank - and could not have known whether that order was criminal or not, “just like anyone else in that situation would not know”.
Ovsyannikov said Russian soldiers erroneously believed the civilian could inform the Ukrainian military of their whereabouts. He added that Shishimarin did not mean to commit a crime and felt that there was a threat to his life.
In response, the prosecutor said that Shishimarin could have avoided killing a civilian; that instead of firing three or four rounds, he could have taken the man’s phone, or fired just one shot to scare him.
Shishimarin again apologised in his closing remarks.
“I do not deny it, and am ready to be punished and to face the consequences,” he said.
A verdict is expected on Monday.
