Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, A Russian soldier, has been facing trial since the start of the war in Ukraine. He has now testified, saying that he shot a civilian on orders from two officers and has also requested the victim's widow to forgive him.
He has said to the court that the victim was on his cellphone and he could reveal the Russian military's location to the Ukrainian army and hence received an order from the two officers to kill him.
Shishimarin said that he had disobeyed his immediate commanding officer's order to shoot an unarmed civilian. Still, he ultimately was left with no choice but to follow the order when another officer forcefully repeated the order.
He could get his life in prison if he is convicted of shooting the Ukrainian man in his head through an open car window in a village on the 28th of February.
While he pleaded guilty to the charges during Wednesday's hearing, his prosecution will be closely watched. The investigators collected evidence of possible war crimes to bring before the International Criminal Court of Hague.