In the Odesa region, a lighthouse keeper was convicted of spreading propaganda on a messaging app

In the Odesa region, a verdict was handed down against an employee of the local lighthouse service, a Russian citizen, who systematically shared materials on Telegram in support of Russian aggression. He was sentenced to five years of imprisonment, suspended for three years.

This is stated in the verdict of the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi City and District Court of Odesa Oblast.

The defendant was also ordered to pay over 10,500 hryvnias to cover the costs of forensic examinations. The cell phone with a memory card, which served as the instrument of the crime, was confiscated and turned over to the state.

During the court hearing, the defendant fully admitted his guilt, assisted in solving the crime, and made a charitable donation to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

In particular, the man stated that at the time he held the following beliefs. Among the factors that influenced him, he cited a state of depression due to his mother’s health and, personally, summonses to the Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support, as well as misunderstandings with fellow villagers. He assured law enforcement officials that he had changed his beliefs.

According to the case file, a lighthouse keeper with the local lighthouse service of the State Hydrographic Service’s “Odesa District” repeatedly disseminated materials justifying Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. According to the investigation, in 2024 and 2025, the man repeatedly used his personal cell phone to post messages on public Telegram channels denying the occupation of Ukrainian territories, supporting Russian actions, and praising the Russian Federation’s army.

Юлія Калабайда