The Helsinki District Court sentenced Russian neo-Nazi mercenary Yan Petrovsky to life in prison for war crimes committed in Ukraine, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported on March 14.
Petrovsky, co-leader of the Rusich paramilitary unit, was convicted of war crimes in Luhansk Oblast on Sept. 5, 2014, during Russia's invasion of Donbas.
Prosecutors presented video evidence showing him ordering and participating in the execution of Ukrainian soldiers.
Petrovsky denied all accusations, but the court ruled that the video recordings provided sufficient proof of his involvement.
Rusich, a notorious Russian neo-Nazi group, has documented and published evidence of its own war crimes, including torture and extrajudicial killings.
One of the five charges against him was dismissed.
Ukraine had requested Petrovsky's extradition, but a Finnish court ruled on Dec. 8, 2023, that he could not be sent to Ukraine, citing concerns over prison conditions under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Rusich unit, linked to Russia's Wagner Group, has a long history of brutality. Co-founder Alexey Milchakov gained notoriety for publishing images of animal cruelty and openly celebrating war crimes.
Petrovsky has been under EU and U.S. sanctions since 2022.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
