A Russian military court sentenced Roman Ivanishin to 15 years in prison for voluntarily surrendering to Ukraine, the first prosecution of its kind in Moscow. Ivanishin was captured while serving in Ukraine's Donetsk region and spent six months in captivity before being exchanged. He denied all charges, claiming no crime was committed, and his defense pointed out the lack of evidence against him. The case underscores the harsh new Russian laws criminalizing voluntary surrender, which complicate the legal position of soldiers in conflict.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia introduced a law criminalizing voluntary surrender, with the crime punishable by three to ten years jail.
Ivanishin, who denied all charges, was allegedly seen in a video following his capture denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calling on his fellow soldiers to desert.
The soldier was fighting in Ukraine's Donetsk region when he was captured on June 10, 2023, spending about six months in captivity before he was freed as part of a POW exchange.
Roman Ivanishin was sentenced to 15 years in prison for surrendering to Ukraine, marking the first such prosecution of its kind in Russia.
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