Russian Corporal Nikita Posmetukhov was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 10 by Russian authorities for shooting four other Russian soldiers in November 2023, Mediazona reported.
I’m actually surprised by this ruling. It does not send the message I think they intended.
Posmetukhov was allegedly angry with a captain who imposed disciplinary measures and threatened to transfer him to an assault unit, according to a document provided Mediazona.
Transfer to an assault unit is a near certain death sentence, so this russian killed that commander (and 3 others), and is now going to live for the rest of his life (in prison). This is sending the message to russian soldiers: “if you’re in an assault unit, your path is to either live out a few more weeks on the front lines or to kill your commander and live out the rest of your days in prison”.
Are you familiar with the Russian prison system? I am not certain if a life sentence there qualifies as “living”, except that you’re still breathing.
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-prison-system-interview-olga-romanova/32614416.html
I have no illusions that russian prison is horrible. The alternative is certain death and the russian front (which is worse) until death.
