In a landmark ruling, a Finnish court has sentenced a Russian neo-Nazi to life in prison for war crimes committed in eastern Ukraine during the 2014 conflict. The Helsinki District Court found Voislav Torden, commander of the Russian paramilitary group Rusich, guilty of four separate war crimes carried out in the Luhansk region.
According to court findings, Torden permitted his fighters to mutilate Ukrainian prisoner Ivan Issyk by carving the Kolovrat, a symbol often associated with neo-Nazi and ultranationalist groups in Russia and Eastern Europe, into his cheek. Issyk later died from his injuries.
Torden was also convicted for defiling the body of a fallen soldier, taking degrading photographs, and publishing them on social media to spread propaganda and incite hatred.
The conviction is notable under Finland’s application of universal jurisdiction—a legal principle allowing nations to prosecute individuals for serious crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world, regardless of the perpetrator’s or victim’s nationality.
This case marks a significant moment in the international pursuit of justice for atrocities committed during the war in Ukraine, reinforcing the message that war crimes will not go unpunished, regardless of where they occur.
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