Moscow: Russia still has legal measures to ensure the right to a fair trial if the verdict in Finland against Russian citizen Vojislav Torden, also known as Jan Petrovsky, comes into force, the Russian Foreign Ministry told RIA Novosti.

According to Namibia Press Agency, on March 14, the Helsinki District Court sentenced Torden to life imprisonment for his alleged involvement in four war crimes in Ukraine in 2014. The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the Finnish judicial process, stating that if the Finnish system remains indifferent to the defense's arguments and the verdict against Torden is upheld, Russia has legal tools to continue advocating for his right to a fair trial.

The Russian Embassy in Helsinki is performing all necessary consular duties for Torden, as mandated by Russian law in such cases. The ministry has emphasized its commitment to ensuring Torden's legal rights are protected.

The prosecutor in Finland sought a life sentence for Torden, accusing him of five war crimes allegedly committed in Ukraine while he served as deputy commander of the Rusich sabotage and assault reconnaissance group. This group was reportedly involved in the Donbas conflict in 2014-2015 alongside Donetsk and Lugansk republic forces. The charges include the killing of 22 Ukrainian soldiers and wounding four others on September 5, 2014, all of which Torden has denied.

Torden was initially detained in Finland in July 2023 due to suspected immigration violations. In December 2023, Finland's Supreme Court denied Ukraine's extradition request for Torden and ordered his release. However, upon his release, Finnish border guards detained him again, initiating a war crimes investigation by Finland's National Bureau of Investigation.