The Lugansk People’s Republic Supreme Court has given a 20-year prison sentence to a Ukrainian serviceman who killed a civilian in the LPR's Popasnaya district in June 2022, said Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK).
“The gathered evidence was sufficient for passing a guilty verdict on Igor Lemeshev from the Ukrainian army's 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade ,” the SK said. Lemeshev had been charged with cruel treatment of civilians, use of banned means and methods of warfare and hate murder.
“In the beginning of June 2022, Lemeshev and his colleagues were stationed next to the Nikolayevka settlement in the LPR’s Popasnaya district. They received an order from their commanders to deliver fire at residential homes and public places using various armaments, with the view of killing civilians. Lemeshev fired at least three fragmentation shells from an infantry fighting vehicle cannon killing a civilian, the investigator said.
The serviceman pleaded guilty to the crime. He will serve his sentence in a maximum security penitentiary.
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The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014. The peace talks failed to reach tangible results due to Kiev’s position to settle the conflict by force.
President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation on February 24, 2022 to protect Donbass residents from Ukrainian aggression. Prior to that, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin asked the Russian leader to provide military assistance.
The Lugansk People’s Republic acceded to Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referendum.*i*ie
