Overview
- A court in Zaporizhzhia found 27-year-old Dmitry Kurashov guilty of violating the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder for a Jan. 6, 2024 shooting near the village of Pryiutne.
- Prosecutors said the victim, Ukrainian soldier Vitalii Hodniuk, had surrendered unarmed, raised his hands, and knelt before Kurashov opened fire.
- Ukrainian forces captured Kurashov later the same day; he pleaded guilty in court but later told reporters he was innocent and hoped for a prisoner swap.
- Ukrainian authorities said Kurashov served in a Storm-V assault unit and joined the Russian military in November 2023 after prior convictions, securing early release from prison for theft.
- Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General’s Office reports 322 investigations into alleged murders of surrendered servicemen since 2022, while Russia denies its troops commit such crimes.