Russia jails Ukraine resident 16 years for treason

A military court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, has sentenced an unnamed resident of Ukraine’s Lugansk region to 16 years in prison on charges of “high treason.” The Russian FSB security service alleged the individual had provided information about the Russian armed forces to Ukraine’s security services. The man was also convicted of aiding terrorist activities and illegally handling and transporting explosives.

The court ordered the sentence to be served in a high-security penal colony, with the verdict accompanied by the release of an FSB video showing his arrest. In the footage, officers stopped a car, dragged the suspect to the ground, handcuffed him, and escorted him to local FSB headquarters. The man, whose face was blurred, claimed he had been recruited by Ukraine’s SBU security service in 2016.

The sentencing aligns with Russia’s pattern of imposing severe penalties on individuals accused of collaborating with Ukraine or opposing Kremlin policies. President Vladimir Putin has urged security agencies to adopt stringent anti-terror measures, emphasizing the need to “identify spies and traitors” and disrupt foreign intelligence operations.

Meanwhile, independent media reported a related incident in the Rostov region, where activist Roman Shved, a 39-year-old anarchist, reportedly died by suicide in a detention center hours after being sentenced to 16 years in prison. Shved had been convicted of arson against a government building following Russia’s 2022 military mobilization.

Russia has prosecuted thousands of citizens for opposing its Ukraine offensive, now approaching its third year. Activists and detainees continue to face heavy scrutiny and penalties under the Kremlin’s intensifying security measures.