Finnish court cuts Russian war crimes convict's life term to 12.5 years

August 31, 2026 at 08:12 PM2 min

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A Finnish appeals court reduced the life sentence of Russian-born Voislav Torden to 12.5 years on August 31, overturning convictions for shooting a wounded soldier and mutilation. The court upheld his guilt for an ambush that killed 22 Ukrainian soldiers and wounded four in 2014. Torden's lawyer said he will appeal the remaining conviction to Finland's Supreme Court.

Key Facts

The appeals court overturned Torden's convictions for shooting a wounded Ukrainian soldier and for mutilation.
The court upheld his guilt for an ambush that killed 22 Ukrainian soldiers and severely wounded four in 2014.
Torden's lawyer, Heikki Lampela, said Torden denies all charges and will appeal to Finland's Supreme Court.
Torden was detained in Finland in 2023 at Ukraine's request while trying to travel to France.
Finland's Supreme Court blocked his extradition to Ukraine, citing prison conditions and risk of humiliation.

Appeals Court Ruling

The Helsinki appeals court on August 31 overturned Torden's convictions for shooting a wounded Ukrainian soldier and for mutilation. The court reduced his life sentence to 12.5 years in prison. It reaffirmed his guilt for an ambush in which attackers used a Ukrainian flag to deceive Ukrainian troops before opening fire. The verdict stated Torden is liable for the deaths of 22 Ukrainian soldiers and for severely wounding four soldiers.

Defense Appeal

Torden's lawyer, Heikki Lampela, told Reuters that Torden denies all charges. Lampela said Torden intends to appeal the guilty verdict on the first count to Finland's Supreme Court. Torden, 39, is a former commander of the Rusich sabotage group. He fought against Ukrainian forces in Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014, before Russia's full-scale invasion of February 2022.

Detention and Extradition

Torden was detained in Finland at Ukraine's request in 2023 as he tried to travel to France. The Finnish Supreme Court later blocked his extradition to Ukraine. The court cited concerns over conditions in Ukrainian prisons and the potential for Torden to face humiliation in custody.