Ukraine prosecutor seeks life sentence for Russian soldier in war crimes trial
Ukraine prosecutor seeks life sentence for Russian soldier in war crimes trial
KYIV -
A Ukrainian state prosecutor asked a court on Thursday to sentence a Russian soldier to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian in the first war crimes trial arising from Russia's Feb. 24 invasion.
Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old Russian tank commander, asked widow Kateryna Shelipova to forgive him for the murder of her husband, Oleksandr, in the northeast Ukrainian village of Chupakhivka on Feb. 28.
"I acknowledge my blame ... I ask you to forgive me," he told Shelipova at the hearing on Thursday attended by Reuters.
He pleaded guilty to the murder on Wednesday.
Oleksandr Shelipov's killing was one of what Ukraine and Western nations say is a far wider picture: Ukraine has accused Russia of atrocities and brutality against civilians during the invasion and said it has identified more than 10,000 possible war crimes. Russia has denied targeting civilians or involvement in war crimes.
At Thursday's court hearing, Shishimarin cut a forlorn spectacle in a glass booth for defendants - boyish, dressed in a tracksuit and with his shaven head lowered.
The Kremlin has said it has no information about the trial and that the absence of a diplomatic mission in Ukraine limits its ability to provide assistance.
The widow told the court that on the day her husband was killed, she had heard distant shots fired from their yard and that she had called out to her husband.
"I ran over to my husband, he was already dead. Shot in the head. I screamed, I screamed so much," she said. She looked distraught and her voice trembled with emotion.
Shelipova told the court she would not object if Shishimarin was released to Russia as part of a prisoner swap to get "our boys" out of the port city of Mariupol, a reference to hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers who have given themselves up to Russia.
The trial takes place as much of Ukraine is gripped by the fate of its soldiers who it hopes Russia will hand over as part of an exchange. In Russia, some senior lawmakers have called for the Azov Regiment fighters to be put on trial.
Shelipova said her husband had been unarmed and was dressed in civilian clothes. They had a 27-year-old son and two grandchildren together, she added.
Ukrainian state prosecutors have said Shishimarin fired several shots with an assault rifle at a civilian's head from a car after being ordered to do so.
Asked if he had been obliged to follow an order that amounted to a war crime, Shishimarin said "no."
"I fired a short burst, three or four bullets," he told the court.
"I am from Irkutsk Oblast (a region in Siberia), I have two brothers and two sisters ... I am the eldest," he said.
(Reporting by Max Hunder; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alexandra Hudson, Nick Macfie and Frances Kerry)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Conservative party disputes Brown’s allegation political corruption behind his disqualification
Patrick Brown is alleging political corruption played a role in his disqualification from the Conservative Party of Canada's leadership race, a move that came following allegations that his campaign violated election financing rules.
Patrick Brown to remain on Conservative leadership ballots despite disqualification
Despite being disqualified by the Conservative Party of Canada from becoming its next leader, ousted candidate Patrick Brown's name will still appear on the ballot.
Intense video shows worker dangling from crane at Toronto construction site
Video has emerged showing a worker dangling in the air above a Toronto construction site after accidently getting entangled in a tagline attached to a crane.
Feds intend to keep ArriveCan for its data on COVID-19-positive travellers: sources
The federal government has no intention of dropping the controversial ArriveCan app because it gives the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) key health information about travellers who test positive for COVID-19 through testing at airports and land borders, senior government sources tell CTV News.
Air Canada, Pearson again rank No. 1 in delays worldwide; Montreal check-in freezes
Air Canada and Toronto's Pearson airport again claimed the top spots for flight delays on Tuesday, marking at least four days in a row where the country's biggest airline has placed No. 1 of any large carrier worldwide.
Air Canada temporarily bans pets from baggage hold over delays
Air Canada said on Wednesday it will not allow animals in the baggage hold until Sept. 12 due to 'longer than usual' delays at airports, as carriers and airports wrestle with complaints over lost luggage and long lines.
Planning a road trip? Here's how to save money on gas this summer
As gas prices slightly trend down this week after some of the highest national averages seen in recent months, some Canadians may be thinking twice before planning their usual summer road trip plans. CTVNews.ca looks at how drivers can save at the pumps while travelling.
OPINION
OPINION | How much of a mortgage can I afford in Canada?
Prices have been easing slightly recently, but affording a mortgage is still a very difficult task for many Canadians. How much of a mortgage can you afford? Contributor Christopher Liew breaks it down in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
Ex-'Cheer' star Harris gets 12 years for seeking photos, sex from minors
A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series 'Cheer,' to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions.
Canada
-
Intense video shows worker dangling from crane at Toronto construction site
Video has emerged showing a worker dangling in the air above a Toronto construction site after accidently getting entangled in a tagline attached to a crane.
-
Video shows suspect in disturbing machete attack in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
Weeks after a terrifying machete attack in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, authorities have yet to identify the person responsible – but new surveillance video is offering a glimpse of a suspect.
-
'Not a time when Quebec can afford to lose young doctors,' province's opposition leader says of ER exodus
The leader of Quebec's Liberal Party paused her vacation briefly on Wednesday to react to the news that two young emergency room doctors have quit their jobs in their hometown of Montreal to work in Toronto.
-
Emergency room delays to continue for 'quite some time,' doctor warns
An emergency room physician is urging governments to address the country’s shortfall of health-care workers in light of the recent temporary shutdowns of emergency departments and the staffing downsizing at others.
-
RCMP officer charged with assault in relation to violent 2021 Campbellton, N.B., arrest
An RCMP officer has been charged following an investigation by Quebec's police watchdog into a violent arrest in Campbellton, N.B., last summer.
-
Man sentenced to 15.5 years for kidnapping, sexually assaulting Edmonton girl
Wade Stene, who admitted to kidnapping and sexually assaulting an eight-year-old Edmonton girl, was sentenced to 15.5 years behind bars Wednesday afternoon.
World
-
Prince Charles meets granddaughter Lilibet for the first time, royal office confirms
Prince Charles has met his granddaughter Lilibet for the first time, the prince's office confirmed to CTVNews.ca. According to reports, it was a 'very emotional' first meeting, which took place during the Platinum Jubilee.
-
July 4 parade suspect contemplated 2nd shooting: police
The man charged with killing seven people at an Independence Day parade confessed to police that he unleashed a hail of bullets from a rooftop in suburban Chicago and then fled to the Madison, Wis., area, where he contemplated shooting up an event there, authorities said Wednesday.
-
North Korea's Kim convenes conference for strengthening 'monolithic' party rule
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened an unprecedented conference aimed at strengthening the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's (WPK) 'monolithic' leadership across society, state media reported on Thursday.
-
Jayland Walker was handcuffed when his body arrived at the medical examiner's office: autopsy report
Jayland Walker was handcuffed behind his back when his body arrived at the coroner's office to be processed as part of the investigation into the officers who shot and killed him in Akron last week, according to a medical examiner's report that was reviewed by CNN.
-
'Taken too soon': Remembering Highland Park shooting victims
The victims of the July 4 parade shooting in a Chicago suburb were Kevin McCarthy, 37; Irina McCarthy, 35; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Stephen Straus, 88; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; and Eduardo Uvaldo, 69.
-
EXPLAINER: Should red-flag law have stopped parade shooting?
Days after a rooftop gunman killed seven people at a parade, attention has turned to how the assailant obtained multiple guns and whether the laws on Illinois books could have prevented the Independence Day massacre.
Politics
-
Conservative party disputes Brown’s allegation political corruption behind his disqualification
Patrick Brown is alleging political corruption played a role in his disqualification from the Conservative Party of Canada's leadership race, a move that came following allegations that his campaign violated election financing rules.
-
Patrick Brown to remain on Conservative leadership ballots despite disqualification
Despite being disqualified by the Conservative Party of Canada from becoming its next leader, ousted candidate Patrick Brown's name will still appear on the ballot.
-
Ukrainian Canadian Congress calls on Canada to lead effort to oust Russia from G20
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress wants Canada to up the pressure on Vladimir Putin's regime and lead a global charge to get Russia expelled from the G20.
Health
-
How an increasingly popular supplement landed a man in the hospital
A British man's overdose on vitamin D is a cautionary tale for people who are considering adding supplements to their lives, according to a paper published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Case Reports.
-
U.S. to diversify infant formula industry to avoid shortages
The Biden administration is looking to help foreign makers of baby formula stay on the U.S. market for the long term, in an effort to diversify the industry after the closure of the largest domestic plant sparked a nationwide shortage.
-
Canada records 358 cases of monkeypox; Quebec reports most cases
Canada has recorded 358 cases of monkeypox as of Wednesday, according to an update posted by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Sci-Tech
-
Contact restored with NASA spacecraft headed to lunar orbit
NASA said Wednesday that contact has been restored with its US$32.7 million spacecraft headed to the moon to test out a lopsided lunar orbit.
-
Alleged Chinese police database hack leaks data of 1 billion
Hackers claim to have obtained a trove of data on 1 billion Chinese from a Shanghai police database in a leak that, if confirmed, could be one of the largest data breaches in history.
-
World's largest waterlily identified as new species
An enormous waterlily in London's Royal Botanic Gardens has been discovered to belong to an entirely new species, after 177 years in the gardens' herbarium.
Entertainment
-
Ex-'Cheer' star Harris gets 12 years for seeking photos, sex from minors
A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series 'Cheer,' to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions.
-
Carlos Santana suffered heat exhaustion during a Michigan concert
Legendary musician Carlos Santana suffered a medical emergency Tuesday night during a performance in Michigan, according to his management team.
-
Clement Virgo's 'Brother' to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival
Clement Virgo's adaptation of a coming-of-age novel set in Toronto's hip hop scene is bound for the Toronto International Film Festival.
Business
-
OPINION
OPINION | How much of a mortgage can I afford in Canada?
Prices have been easing slightly recently, but affording a mortgage is still a very difficult task for many Canadians. How much of a mortgage can you afford? Contributor Christopher Liew breaks it down in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
-
Air Canada temporarily bans pets from baggage hold over delays
Air Canada said on Wednesday it will not allow animals in the baggage hold until Sept. 12 due to 'longer than usual' delays at airports, as carriers and airports wrestle with complaints over lost luggage and long lines.
-
Asian stocks higher after Fed says rate hikes may be needed
Asian stock markets gained Thursday after the Federal Reserve said higher U.S. interest rates might be needed to cool inflation.
Lifestyle
-
Unclaimed $15M lottery ticket sold last August in B.C. set to expire
Someone in British Columbia could be sitting on a lottery ticket worth a whopping $15 million – but there's only a few weeks left to claim the jackpot.
-
Spain's famous Bull Run festival back after 2-year hiatus
Thousands of revellers erupted in celebration Wednesday as the traditional 'chupinazo' firework was ignited to start the San Fermin bull-run festival in the Spanish city of Pamplona, ending a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
-
Sports
-
Montreal swimmer says she was drugged at world championships
Montreal swimmer Mary-Sophie Harvey says she was drugged on the final day of the world aquatics championships and suffered a rib sprain and a concussion.
-
Former NHL defenceman Bryan Marchment dies at 53
Former NHL defenceman Bryan Marchment died unexpectedly Wednesday in Montreal, his agent said. He was 53.
-
Former Oiler Mike Grier becomes NHL's first Black GM
The San Jose Sharks named Mike Grier as the NHL's first Black general manager on Tuesday.
Autos
-
Auto sales down 11.5 per cent in June from a year earlier
DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says Canadian auto sales were down 11.5 per cent in June compared with a year earlier as supply challenges persist.
-
Lewis Hamilton backs environmental protests, but not their methods as protestors invade British GP track
Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has said he supports the cause of environmentalist group Just Stop Oil, but not some of its methods after group members invaded the track during the British Grand Prix.
-
B.C. judge dismisses realtor's claim dealership misled him about Ford Mustang
A Vancouver Island real estate agent has lost his bid to recover a deposit he made on a new Ford Mustang that he intended to offer as a prize in a year-long contest in 2020.
