Under the initiative of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, twelve Ukrainian citizens were found guilty of treason, participation in a terrorist organization, and involvement in illegal armed formations (Articles 111(1)(2), 258-3(1), 260(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Each defendant was sentenced to 15 years in prison with property confiscation.
Case Details
Prosecutors proved that in 2022, residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions voluntarily sided with the Russian aggressor and joined the so-called “people’s militia” of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. They were assigned various positions within Russian military formations, including:
- deputy chief of staff;
- grenade launcher team leader;
- sniper;
- rifleman;
- machine gunner.
The militants were provided with uniforms, firearms, and ammunition and trained in tactics such as assault, offense, and retreat.
Combat Activities
During their service, these individuals carried out tasks against the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They participated in combat operations directly and by issuing orders to subordinates. They also secured Russian army positions in occupied territories.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, they operated in settlements across Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the Lviv region as part of a special pretrial inquiry.