A Russian military court sentenced a soldier to 15 years in prison for voluntarily surrendering to Ukraine, Moscow’s first such prosecution, according to state outlets.
Roman Ivanishin, a soldier from the eastern island of Sakhalin, was found guilty on Tuesday on the charges of desertion, voluntary surrender and attempting to voluntarily surrender when he allegedly gave himself up to Kyiv fighters in 2023, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
Ivanishin, who denied all charges, was allegedly seen in a video following his capture denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and calling on his fellow soldiers to desert.
The full details of the case and charges levied against the miner and veteran of Russia’s wars in Chechnya remain unclear as the trial was held behind closed doors.
Ivanishin was sent out as part of Moscow’s invasion force in 2022 and served in the 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade.
The soldier was fighting in Ukraine’s Donetsk region when he was captured on June 10, 2023, spending about six months in captivity before he was freed as part of a POW exchange between Kyiv and Moscow.
Upon his return to Russia, the rifleman was arrested and charged with voluntarily surrendering and deserting Moscow’s forces, which he denies doing.
Ivanishin’s defense had sought an acquittal, claiming there was no evidence he had committed any crime against Russia.
It remains unclear if the video of Ivanishin condemning the war in Ukraine was filmed while he was under duress following his capture.
Following the guilty verdict, Ivanishin was scheduled to serve his 15-year sentence inside a maximum security prison.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia introduced a law criminalizing voluntary surrender, with the crime punishable by three to 10 years jail.
Russian lawyer Alexander Pochuev has noted that the law is full of holes that make it practically impossible for a soldier to “legally” surrender.
“You can only be captured against your will — for example, in an unconscious or helpless state. And the burden of proving these circumstances lies on the fighter himself,” the lawyer told the Kommersant.
With Post wires