A Sevastopol resident was sentenced to 15 years for serving in the Russian military

A man who signed a contract with the Russian military in occupied Sevastopol to avoid prison was sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of his property. He fought against the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk region before being taken prisoner.

This is stated in the verdict of the Mykolaiv Central District Court dated November 2.

The convicted man is barred from holding positions in state authorities, local government, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and law enforcement agencies for a period of 15 years after serving his main sentence.

The case was heard in a closed court session. The defendant fully admitted his guilt, expressed remorse, and attributed his actions to the pressure of circumstances.

As established by the court, the defendant had several prior convictions. In July 2025, Russian law enforcement officers detained him in occupied Sevastopol on suspicion of committing a crime. The man was offered a contract for military service to avoid criminal liability in the Russian Federation.

Upon receiving this offer, the defendant voluntarily agreed to join the ranks of the aggressor state’s armed forces. He underwent military training, took an oath of allegiance to the Russian Federation, and received a uniform and a weapon.

From September through December 2025, the traitor, as part of an occupation force unit, took direct part in combat operations against the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Donetsk region. He carried out orders from the Russian command, facilitated the advance of assault groups, conducted surveillance of Ukrainian positions, and passed the gathered information to the enemy.

The perpetrator’s criminal activities were halted on December 20, 2025, when, during a firefight, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took him prisoner.

Юлія Калабайда