Dmitriy Kurashov

Dmitriy Kurashov, known by his callsign 'Stalker', is a Russian soldier who became the first to stand trial in Ukraine for an alleged battlefield execution. After a troubled upbringing in an orphanage and a history of imprisonment, Kurashov was released to serve in the Russian military during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He is accused of executing Ukrainian soldier Vitalii Hodniuk, known as 'Penguin', during a skirmish in January 2024. His case highlights the complexities of war crimes prosecution amid the ongoing conflict.