Voislav Torden sentenced to life for war crimes

By admin On Mar 14, 2025

Russian Voislav Torden (also known as Yan Petrovski) the ex-commander of the Russian far-right extremist Rusich paramilitary group photographed through a screen in Helsinki District Court on January 23, 2025. LEHTIKUVA

Helsinki District Court has sentenced Voislav Torden, 38, to life in prison for war crimes committed in Ukraine in 2014.

Torden was convicted on four counts of war crimes, while one charge was dismissed due to lack of evidence. The court found that he led a military unit that ambushed Ukrainian soldiers and executed at least one wounded prisoner. The act was deemed equivalent to murder due to its brutality, warranting a life sentence.

Torden was accused of ordering attacks as deputy commander of the Rusich unit, which fought alongside Russian-backed separatists in Luhansk. According to prosecutors, his unit lured Ukrainian troops into an ambush using a Ukrainian flag at a checkpoint. When the soldiers approached, they were fired upon. More than 20 Ukrainian troops died in the attack.

Prosecutors alleged that Torden personally fired a machine gun during the ambush. His unit also used a thermobaric Shmel rocket against a military truck, killing and injuring soldiers in the explosion.

Another charge related to the execution of wounded soldiers after the battle. At least 21 dead and several injured soldiers were left on the ground. Prosecutors said Torden took part in killing the wounded, violating the laws of war.

The third charge concerned the mutilation of a wounded Ukrainian soldier. Under Torden’s command, soldiers carved the unit’s emblem into the man’s cheek.

Torden was also charged with posing for photos with a dead soldier’s body and sharing the images on social media.

The final charge was based on threats he made online before the attack. Prosecutors argued that his statements indicated the unit would take no prisoners.

Torden denied all charges, claiming he had no leadership role and was only in Ukraine to produce propaganda videos.

He was arrested at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in summer 2023.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi