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Finland sentences Russian neo-Nazi mercenary Yan Petrovsky to life for war crimes in Ukraine

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Finland sentences Russian neo-Nazi mercenary Yan Petrovsky to life for war crimes in Ukraine
A screen grab shows a video transmission at the start of the trial against ex-commander of the Russian far-right extremist Rusich paramilitary group, Russian Voislav Torden (also known as Yan Petrovski) (2nd R) on Dec. 5, 2024. (Hiekki Saukomma / Getty Images)

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.

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

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Tim Zadorozhnyy is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. He studied International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University and Coventry University. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022 as a reporter for a local television channel. He later spent a year and a half at the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, first as a news anchor and later as a managing editor. He is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

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