Russia To Jail Soldier Who Admitted Killing Ukrainian Civilian For Spreading 'Fake' News

A Russian soldier who admitted to killing a civilian in previously occupied Ukrainian territory could receive several years of jail time for spreading "fake" news, according to a report.

Russian state prosecutors asked the Khabarovsk Garrison Military Court during a Tuesday hearing to sentence Daniil Frolkin to six years in a penal colony, independent Russian media outlet iStories reported.

In an interview with Russian journalist Ekaterina Fomina last August, Frolkin, then a 21-year-old private of Russia's 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, alleged that he and his fellow soldiers were given orders to shoot civilians during their occupation of Andriivka, a village in Ukraine's Kyiv province that was under Russian control between February and April last year.

Frolkin, who admitted to shooting and stealing from civilians himself, also confessed to killing a local resident accused of transmitting the coordinates of Russian army convoys.

"I just put a bullet through [the back of his head]. I killed one person, but I wanted to save as many people as I could," the trooper said.

Killing, torturing or taking hostage of non-combatants in war violates the Geneva Conventions.

During his interview from late last year, Frolkin called for his brigade's commanders to be punished. The soldier alleged that some of the commanders "caused a lot of our men to be killed" due to poor organization.

He explained at the time that he was divulging all of this information for the sake of the "lads."

"Our lads will be spared. They will be sent back home because of me. It's better to lose one life than to lose the lives of 200 to 300 people," Frolkin told Fomina.

The soldier is now accused of spreading "fake news" about the Russian army as part of an organized group and out of selfish motives under Article 207.3 of Russia's Criminal Code.

This law, which is often referred to as Russia's "fake news law," made knowingly disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces a crime that is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The Khabarovsk Garrison Military Court is expected to pass a verdict on Frolkin's case Thursday, a person involved in the process told iStories.

Frolkin also faces a life sentence in Ukraine on charges of violating the laws and customs of war.

His brigade was among the Russian units accused of perpetrating the mass murder of civilians and prisoners of war in the previously occupied Ukrainian city of Bucha.