Charges against Russian officer accused of killing conscript dropped after he enlists to fight in Ukraine

A Russian military officer on trial for killing a 19-year-old conscript during a training exercise last year has had the charges against him dismissed after he signed a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine, RFE/RL regional outlet Idel.Realii reported on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Alexander Yemelyanov, a 22-year-old officer from the Volga region republic of Udmurtia, was conducting a weapons training session at the Ilyinsky training facility in Russia’s far eastern Primorsky region in October, when he fired a burst of AK-12 rounds into a line of soldiers, one of whom, Artyom Antonov, was hit in the head and killed.

One of Antonov’s relatives, who declined to be named, told Russian independent outlet IStories at the time that he had likely been shot for refusing to sign a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine, adding that Antonov had told his friends he was being pressured into signing one by his commanding officers.

The same relative also said that Antonov had spoken of being tortured by his unit’s commanders, who he said beat him with iron rods on his arms and neck and refused him medical care. Upon receiving Antonov’s body, his family discovered bruises all over his body.

Yemelyanov was ultimately charged with negligence leading to death due to mishandling weapons, and, according to Russian Telegram news channel ASTRA, confessed to the crime in December.

According to an acquaintance of the family, Yemelyanov attempted to call Antonov’s relatives several times asking them to drop their lawsuit demanding compensation against him. When journalists from Idel.Realii attempted to contact Yemelyanov via VK, a Russian social media platform, to confirm his whereabouts and whether he had signed a contract to serve in Ukraine, he read the messages but did not respond.

Yemelyanov’s trial was due to begin on 7 February in the Primorsky region city of Ussuriysk, but Antonov’s mother was informed by the court that there would be no trial, as the suspect had gone to war with Ukraine.

Throughout the full-scale war, Russian authorities have frequently offered violent criminals, rapists and murderers early release from prison and an eventual presidential pardon in exchange for them signing a contract to serve for six months with the Russian military in Ukraine. Bypassing standard legal procedures, such arrangements help Russia’s armed forces replenish its ranks, though penal military units are reported to suffer extremely high casualty rates.