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Russian Neo-Nazi Rusich Leader Faces War Crimes Charges in Helsinki Appeals Court
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The war crimes case against infamous Russian neo-nazi paramilitary “Rusich” group leader Voislav Torden began in the Helsinki Court of Appeal, YLE reported on January 9.
This follows Torden’s conviction last year by the Helsinki District Court, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment for four war crimes committed in 2014, at the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine.
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Torden, who is appealing his conviction, was arrested in Finland in August 2023. He seeks either the dismissal of charges or a reduced sentence, Yle wrote.
His defense claims he was not directly involved in the killings, asserting his role was more focused on propaganda and recruitment.
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However, according to Yle, the prosecution insists Torden was responsible for the death of 22 Ukrainian soldiers and other war crimes, including the brutal killing of a soldier wounded in an ambush and the desecration of a fallen soldier’s body.
Torden’s appeal argues that he was not the deputy commander of the Rusich group and denies taking part in the ambush, despite evidence suggesting his complicity in the atrocities.
The Court of Appeal hearing, marked by heightened security, will continue until February 9, with eight scheduled hearing days.
Previously, it was reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the National Police have successfully extradited a Russian war criminal serviceman to Lithuania, marking the first such extradition since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine, SBU reported.
