INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian military court sentenced two soldiers to life in prison for the murder of a family of nine, including two children, in occupied
Ukraine, the business newspaper Kommersant reported Friday.The soldiers, Anton Sopov, 21, and Stanislav Rau, 28, were arrested on Oct
Sopov and Rau pleaded not guilty and plan to appeal the ruling
Prosecutors reportedly held the trial in secrecy, citing military confidentiality.When the trial began in July, the state-run TASS news
last year.Russian forces seized Volnovakha shortly after Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and it was
largely destroyed by artillery bombardments.Servicemen in the Russian military have faced accusations of civilian killings in occupied
Ukrainian territories, but the Kremlin has consistently denied targeting civilians, dismissing reports of atrocities as fabrications.AFP
