In a landmark ruling, a Ukrainian court has sentenced 27-year-old Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov to life imprisonment for the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war, marking the first such sentence handed down since the conflict began. Kurashov was found guilty of fatally shooting 41-year-old Ukrainian veteran Vitalii Hodniuk, who had surrendered after being captured in the Zaporizhzhia region on January 6, 2024. The court determined that Kurashov acted on orders from his commanders, who had instructed troops not to take Ukrainian soldiers captive. Evidence, including expert reports, witness testimonies, and video footage, confirmed the deliberate nature of the killing. During the trial, it was revealed that Hodniuk had emerged unarmed from a dugout with his hands raised, only to be shot point-blank by Kurashov. Kurashov initially pleaded guilty but later retracted his confession, claiming he had done so to expedite a potential prisoner swap. He alleged that a Russian medic, who later died, was responsible for the shooting. However, testimonies from other members of his unit contradicted his account, stating that Kurashov was the only person present when the gunshots were heard. Kurashov’s lawyer argued that he was following orders, while the prosecutor emphasized his lack of remorse. The case highlights the broader issue of Russian prisoners being recruited to fight in Ukraine, often in poorly trained penal units like Storm V, which are deployed in high-casualty assaults. Ukrainian intelligence has documented over 150 cases of battlefield executions of POWs by Russian forces since the invasion began in 2022, with Ukrainian officials describing these acts as part of a systematic policy. While Ukrainian forces have also faced accusations of executing Russian POWs, such reports are significantly fewer in number.