Glorifier of Russia in Odesa is on probation for three years

The Kyiv District Court of Odesa found a native of the village of Baraboy guilty of glorifying participants in the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and violating the equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, region, religious beliefs, disability, and other grounds.

As noted in the court's verdict, in the summer of 2023, the woman published a series of posts on Telegram in which she humiliated Ukrainians on a national basis and supported the claim that the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa was not hit by a Russian missile but by air defense.

She also argued that the war was provoked by the Ukrainian military. The judges took into account that the accused pleaded guilty in full - the woman confirmed that indeed, in the period from July 22, 2023 to August 23, 2023, using her mobile phone in the Telegram messenger, using her account, she deliberately and intentionally made anti-Ukrainian statements aimed at inciting national hatred and enmity, humiliating national honor and dignity, and justifying the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. However, later on, her views changed, she realized the error of her views and now takes a pro-Ukrainian position.

The judges sentenced her to one year in prison for violating the equality of citizens and two and five years respectively under two paragraphs of the article of the Criminal Code on glorification. In the end, all these punishments were combined and the most severe one absorbed all the others. However, the woman's five-year prison sentence was commuted to three years' probation. She was also ordered to pay UAH 31,836 for the cost of the examination.

Кирило Бойко