The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv has been examining since the summer the case of captured russian serviceman Volodymyr Ivanov, who, according to the investigation, executed two Ukrainian service members in Kursk Oblast. 

Viktor Liapota and Ivan Kondratiuk served in the 241st Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Their relatives have been recognised as victims in the case.

The 53-year-old defendant, Volodymyr Ivanov, is a serviceman of the 40th Separate Marine Brigade of the armed forces of russia with the call sign ‘Yaryi’. Born in Sevastopol, he lived in russia’s Chelyabinsk Oblast and fought in the russian armed forces from December 2024. 

He is accused of violating the laws and customs of war combined with intentional killing. 

The court has now completed its examination of the written evidence. 

Heard no order, but fired 

According to the Media Initiative for Human Rights, on 9 January this year, in Kursk Oblast near the village of Huievo, Ivanov and three fellow servicemen with the call signs ‘Bilyi’, ‘Boom’ and ‘Lebid’ executed two Ukrainian soldiers who had laid down their arms and offered no resistance, acting on the order of their commander with the call sign ‘Riazan’. 

Shortly afterwards Ukrainian defenders captured Ivanov and his fellow servicemen. Ivanov is now on trial, and according to the prosecution, his fellow servicemen are expected to testify against him. 

As reported by Suspilne, Ivanov stated during questioning in September this year that he had completed training in russian-occupied Sevastopol at the end of December 2024. After the start of 2025, he was sent to prepare a position near the village of Huievo in the Sudzhansky District, Kursk region. His task was to set up the position and dig a dugout. 

He said that on 9 January he heard a russian soldier with the call sign ‘Lebid’ calling out to Ukrainian service members. Ivanov then heard gunfire, ran to the location and, joining his fellow servicemen, fired three shots. 

Ivanov claimed that the Ukrainian soldiers offered no resistance, but he did not clearly see details of their appearance or behaviour. He claimed that he had not personally heard an order to fire at the Ukrainians: only after the incident did ‘Lebid’ tell him that the commander had ordered to shoot. 

During questioning, however, the accused could not answer his lawyer’s question as to why he opened fire if he had not heard the order.

The accused says he regrets what he did 

During the hearing on 3 November, attended by a Watchers journalist, the court examined a brief video of an investigative re-enactment involving witness Lantsov, a russian serviceman captured alongside Ivanov. 

The witness showed the position he was in when holding his weapon — kneeling. He noted that he had an AK-74 (Kalashnikov assault rifle). He also demonstrated the approximate distance between himself and the Ukrainian service members — 40 paces.  

The court then viewed a video of an investigative re-enactment involving witness Kondratiev. He said he had held his weapon standing, also an AK-74. The distance between him and the Ukrainian soldiers was about 37 paces. 

Ivanov confirmed that he recognised both witnesses as his fellow servicemen. 

The court then watched drone footage provided to investigators by a Ukrainian service member whose name was not disclosed. The footage shows the moment a group of russian soldiers was hit, as well as the location where the Ukrainians were executed. One of the judges asked the prosecutor where the date and time of filming were indicated in the footage; the prosecutor replied that it would be necessary to question the person who provided the video. 

After the hearing, a Watchers journalist attempted to speak with the accused, but the convoy loudly demanded that the courtroom be vacated as soon as possible. Nonetheless, Ivanov said he had been born in Crimea but held russian citizenship. He said he partially admitted guilt. 

When asked why he fired at the Ukrainian service members, Ivanov replied:

‘I had an order from the commander’. 

He also answered in the affirmative when asked whether he regretted what he had done. 

The next hearing in the case will take place on 5 December. The court plans to question witnesses.