DONETSK, October 3. /TASS/. The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has sentenced a serviceman from the Ukrainian army to 24 years in prison for killing a man in Mariupol, the press service of the DPR prosecutor’s office told TASS.

"The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic passed down a sentence in the criminal case against a 25-year-old driver and mechanic from the Ukrainian army’s 36th separate marine brigade, Vitaly Antonov," the press service said. The serviceman was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code (murder committed by an organized group, motivated by political or ideological hatred) and Part 1 of Article 356 (cruel treatment of civilians in occupied territory), it specified.

Heeding the position of the state prosecutor, the court sentenced Antonov to 24 years in jail, with the jail term to be served in a maximum-security prison.

According to the investigation, on March 17, 2022, Antonov shot a man at a gas station in Mariupol on orders from his commander. The man died on the spot from his wounds.

The press service said that Antonov admitted his guilt.