Ukraine opens first war crimes trial of captured Russian

By OLEKSANDR STASHEVSKYI and DAVID KEYTON
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Journalists packed a small courtroom in Kyiv for the trial of a captured Russian soldier accused of killing a Ukrainian civilian in the early days of the war. The trial of 21-year-old Russian Sgt. Vadim Shyshimarin is the first of dozens of war crimes cases that Ukraine’s top prosecutor says her office is pursuing. Friday’s proceedings lasted about 15 minutes and the trial will resume Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military released photos and video of what it said was a damaged Russian pontoon bridge over a river in the country’s east during a two-day battle this week. The Ukrainians said they destroyed at least 73 tanks and other vehicles and that their troops “drowned the Russian occupiers.”