Finnish court convicts Russian man for war crimes in Ukraine

For war crimes committed in Ukraine, a Russian national was given a life sentence in Finland.

The district court in Helsinki, the country’s capital, found Voislav Torden, the then leader of the far-right Rusich paramilitary group, guilty of four separate war crimes committed against Ukrainian soldiers in 2014 during battles in eastern Ukraine. A fifth accusation was dropped.

Finland, which shares a 1, 340-kilometer (832-mile) border with Russia, held Torden in the summer of 2023. In the Luhansk region, an armed attack was carried out on Ukrainian battalions’ soldiers.

Torden was involved in, among other things, the murder of a soldier, according to the court. He allegedly also allegedly took degrading photos of the deceased, which he later shared.

Ukraine celebrates “key milestone”

The defendant, who is 38 years old, denied the allegations in court, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle. Torden’s lawyer, Heikki Lampela, stated in a statement to Finnish media that the decision was surprising and that he would file an appeal.

According to Yle, this is the first instance in which a Finnish court has found a person guilty of war crimes in Ukraine.

The prosecutor general of Ukraine praised the court’s decision as “a significant step toward holding accountable those who commit grave violations of international humanitarian law.”

In a statement posted on social media, Ukraine stated that it is “working with partners worldwide to ensure there is no impunity for war criminals.”

Russia criticized the verdict and said the trial against its citizens was politically motivated and “shameful.”