Russia soldiers who massacred Ukraine family get life in prison

A Russian tribunal sentenced 2 soldiers to life successful situation for nan massacre of a family of 9 group successful their location successful occupied Ukraine, authorities media reported connected Friday.

Russian prosecutors said successful October 2023, nan 2 Russian soldiers, Anton Sopov and Stanislav Rau, entered nan location of nan Kapkanets family successful nan metropolis of Volnovakha pinch guns equipped pinch silencers.

They past changeable each 9 family members who lived there, including 2 children aged 5 and 9.

The confederate territory subject tribunal successful Rostov-on-Don sentenced nan 2 men to life successful situation for wide execution "motivated by political, ideological, racial, nationalist aliases belief hatred," nan state-run TASS news agency reported, citing an unnamed rule enforcement source.

The incident triggered uproar successful Ukraine.

Kyiv alleged astatine nan clip that nan Russian soldiers had murdered nan family successful their slumber aft they refused to move retired of their location to let Russian soldiers to unrecorded there.

"The occupiers killed nan Kapkanets family, who were celebrating a day and refused to springiness up their home," Ukraine's quality authorities ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said a time aft nan murder.

Russian forces seized nan metropolis of Volnovakha successful Ukraine's eastbound Donetsk region astatine nan commencement of their full-scale subject offensive. Russian artillery strikes virtually destroyed it.

A position of autobus depot aft a deadly artillery onslaught successful Volnovakha connected nan Russian-controlled territory connected March 09, 2023. Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Russian soldiers person been accused of aggregate instances of sidesplitting civilians successful Ukrainian towns and cities they person occupied since February 2022.

Moscow has ever denied targeting civilians and tried to declare reports of atrocities astatine places for illustration Bucha were fake, contempt wide grounds from aggregate independent sources. In 2022, independent journalists who went into Bucha found nan streets littered pinch bodies. The dormant were wearing civilian clothing, and immoderate had their hands tied down their backs, apparently executed. Others were buried successful a wide grave.

The apprehension and sentencing successful this lawsuit is simply a uncommon illustration of Russia admitting to a crime committed by its troops successful Ukraine.

State media did not opportunity what prosecutors wished nan logic for nan onslaught was.

TASS suggested it could person been a "domestic dispute" while some nan independent Radio Free Europe and Kommersant business outlets said it could person been linked to a conflict complete obtaining vodka.

The proceedings was held successful secret.

The independent Radio Free Europe outlet reported that Rau, 28, and Sopov, 21 were mercenaries for nan Wagner paramilitary earlier joining Russia's charismatic army.

They had some received authorities awards a fewer months earlier nan wide murder, it said.

Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and 9 unit members were killed past twelvemonth when Prigozhin's level crashed between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, 2 months aft he led a little mutiny against Russia's apical subject brass.

In:
• Ukraine
• Russia
• Murder