A Russian soldier has been sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine for executing a Ukrainian prisoner.

Dmitri Kurașov, a 27-year-old Russian soldier, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ukrainian judiciary, thus becoming the first occupant tried for the execution of a Ukrainian soldier. The incident took place on January 8, 2024, when Kurașov shot a Ukrainian soldier who had run out of ammunition near the village of Priiutne, in the Zaporozhye region. He was captured by Ukrainian forces on the same day, along with four other members of his unit. Kurașov, who joined the army after being incarcerated in Russia for theft, was found guilty of 'violating the laws and customs of war' and 'premeditated murder.' Since the beginning of the invasion, both parties have accused each other of executing prisoners of war, and the UN has reported an increase in these incidents.