Two Russians were sentenced to 11.5 years for shelling the Kharkiv region
SONIA LUKASHOVA – TUESDAY, 31 MAY 2022, 11:46
A court in Poltava Oblast has sentenced two Russian servicemen, Aleksandr Bobykin and Aleksandr Ivanov, to 11 years and six months in prison for shelling civilian areas of Kharkiv region.
Source: verdict of the Kotelva district court of Poltava Oblast
Details: The servicemen were found guilty of violating the laws and customs of war. The Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office asked for a sentence of 12 years in prison - the maximum punishment for this offence.
Both Russians served in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Bobykin was the driver-charger of the Grad multiple rocket launcher and Ivanov the gunner of the same combat vehicle.
In December, they were informed of alleged training in Belarus. In February, the Russian soldiers arrived in the city of Kursk, where they continued their training.
However, in the second half of February, they had already been moved to Belgorod Oblast, on the Ukrainian border. There, the soldiers found out from the command about the coming war.
On 23 February, Russian units lined up 6 Grads at a distance of 4-6 kilometres from the border with Ukraine. At the same time, Bobykin and Ivanov knew that in such conditions, their weapons would work indiscriminately and civilian targets might enter the targeted area.
On the morning of 24 February, the Russian soldiers received the order from their commander to fire, and no specific instructions were given to the soldiers to adjust their fire.
After that, the occupiers moved closer to the border and fired into Ukraine again.
On that day, the Russians crossed the border with Ukraine into Kharkiv Oblast and advanced, according to them, by 25-30 kilometres. Then Bobykin and Ivanov, along with other soldiers, fired volleys at Kharkiv.
As a result of the shelling, an electric substation, overhead power lines, residential buildings, and a secondary school were damaged in two villages in Kharkiv Oblast.
On 24 February, a convoy of invaders was defeated by Ukrainian defenders. After that, the two defendants hid for 3 days and later surrendered to the Ukrainian military.
Bobykin and Ivanov pleaded guilty in court and repented.
The defence lawyer argued that the Russians acted under duress and in a position of official dependence. However, the court disagreed and saw no evidence that the servicemen were unable to avoid criminal action.
The first cases and hundreds of people involved. How Ukraine is investigating Russian war crimes and why difficulties arise
Reminder: On 23 May, a court in Kyiv handed down the first sentence of a Russian for a war crime. The Russian serviceman Vadim Shishimarin, accused of killing a civilian in Sumy Oblast, was sentenced to life in prison.
