Kathrine Frich
Across three years of war, the accusations have piled up, shelling of cities, torture of civilians, mass detentions in occupied territories.
Under international law, these are called war crimes: deliberate acts that violate the rules of conflict and the Geneva Conventions.
Until now, most trials for such crimes have taken place inside Ukraine. This time, justice is crossing a border.
A historic handover
For the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, a Russian serviceman captured by Ukrainian forces will be tried abroad.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general announced that the suspect, a senior officer in the Russian navy, has been transferred to Lithuania to face charges under international law.
“This is a historic moment for justice,” said Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. “It is a clear signal to all war criminals that they will not be able to escape accountability anywhere in the free world.”
The decision marks the first transfer of a Russian soldier from Ukrainian custody to a foreign court since the conflict began, setting a legal precedent for cooperation between Kyiv and its allies.
Crimes in occupied territory
According to investigators, the officer participated in the creation of an improvised detention site in Melitopol, a southeastern Ukrainian city captured by Russian forces during the first days of the invasion.
The camp allegedly held civilians and prisoners of war, including one Lithuanian national.
Prosecutors in both countries say detainees were subjected to electric shocks, suffocation, and beatings, and that some were confined in metal boxes.
The acts described fall under the Geneva Conventions’ definitions of torture and unlawful detention, both classified as war crimes.
From the front to the courtroom
The soldier was captured by Ukrainian forces in August 2023 near the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region.
After more than a year of coordination, the prisoner was transferred to Lithuania earlier this week and placed in provisional detention for three months.
He has now been formally charged with war crimes, torture, and violations of international humanitarian law. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment.
Lithuanian officials confirmed that the process complies with both their national legislation and international law on the prosecution of war crimes.
A message to moscow
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that cooperation between Ukraine and Lithuania reflects the growing determination of democratic states to hold perpetrators accountable.
“This is not just one case. It is a signal to all who commit crimes against humanity,” he said.
The trial will be closely watched by human rights organizations and international legal experts.
If successful, it may pave the way for similar cases, allowing other nations to prosecute suspects accused of atrocities in Ukraine.
Sources: Digi24, Agerpres, AFP, Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
