Russia proposes Nuremberg-style trial for Ukrainian fighters

Russian security agencies and legal professionals are working to establish a tribunal modeled on the Nuremberg trials, intended to prosecute Ukrainian military personnel, according to Novaya Gazeta. The plan was announced by former Russian Prime Minister Sergey Stepashin, who also chairs the Russian Lawyers’ Association.

Location undecided until after the war

Stepashin said it is still «too early» to determine where the tribunal would be held, adding that the decision would be made once the war concludes.

Historical сontext: Nuremberg trials

The original Nuremberg trials took place from 1945 to 1946 in the German city of Nuremberg. They were convened by the Allied powers after World War II to prosecute leading Nazi officials for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other offenses.

Reports of ongoing prosecutions of Ukrainian soldiers

According to the independent outlet Mediazona, Russian courts — including those operating in occupied territories — have been trying Ukrainian soldiers and officers since the first year of the war. Between December 2024 and June 2025 alone, Russia sentenced 184 Ukrainian servicemembers captured in the Kursk region.

Mediazona reports that many members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are being tried multiple times and face widespread torture, minimal access to legal defense, and repeated violations of due process. Some have received death sentences, which has drawn protests at the United Nations.