In the first of the war crime trials in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Vadim Shishimarin, a 21 year old Russian soldier, faces life in jail after pleading guilty for the admitted shooting of a 62-year-old unarmed man, the BBC reports.

The trial was held in a tiny Kyiv courtroom, with the victim’s wife sitting right in front of the admitted shooter.

BBC and Ukrainian prosecutors said that, Shishimarin was in command of a smaller element of a tank division when they came under attack near Chupakhivka.

After stealing a car and fleeing the attack, Shishimarin and the remnants of his unit came across the victim, Oleksandr Shelipov, who was riding a bicycle.

Shishimarin was ordered to kill the civilian, and followed through with that order.

Since the start of the conflict, Ukrainian officials have reported more than 10,000 potential war crimes committed by the Kremlin.

Russia has denied that their soldiers have targeted civilians, but investigators with the International Criminal Court have found evidence to the contrary.