Odesa resident found guilty after 8 years of participation in self-defense of Crimea

The court found Odesa resident Konstantin Kukshtel guilty of high treason and participation in an illegal armed group during the occupation of Crimea. The verdict is based on a set of contradictory evidence, some of which was objected to by the defense.

This was reported by the Court Reporter.

The case concerns the events of 2014 in the annexed Crimea, where, according to the prosecution, the man joined the so-called "self-defense of Crimea" and participated in the activities of pro-Russian forces.

According to the case file, Kukshtel was detained in 2023 in Odesa. SBU officers stopped his car, searched it, and seized the medal "For the Defense of Crimea". The defendant himself claimed that the award had been planted on him, and called the circumstances of his detention illegal.

The prosecutor's office insisted that back in 2014, the man joined the "Sudak company of the Crimean people's militia," patrolled the streets, was on duty at checkpoints and helped block Ukrainian government agencies. In court, he categorically denied any involvement in any armed groups and claimed that he led a normal civilian life, working as a vehicle repairman.

One of the key pieces of evidence was a YouTube video in which the investigator allegedly recognized Kukshtel among the participants in the oath of allegiance of the Kuban Cossack Army in Crimea. However, the examination was unable to confirm that it was him in the footage, as the images were not suitable for identification. Nevertheless, the video was included in the case.

The testimony of eyewitnesses who stated that they had seen the defendant in uniform and during document checks in Sudak also played a significant role. At the same time, their testimony contained contradictions: one of the witnesses changed his testimony during interrogations, while another recognized the defendant only more than eight years after the events. In addition, none of them mentioned the characteristic scar on the man's face.

The defense also drew attention to inconsistencies regarding the seized medal. In particular, the video recording of the search did not record the moment of its discovery, and the witnesses gave different versions of where exactly it was found. In addition, his name is not on the public lists of those awarded this medal.

Despite these circumstances, the court concluded that the totality of the evidence was sufficient to prove guilt. The verdict states that the defense's arguments about the lack of proof of guilt do not deserve attention, as they are refuted by the established circumstances of the case.

Mr. Kukshtel insisted that he did not support the occupation of Crimea and considered the peninsula to be Ukrainian. His family characterized him as a patriot who had no ties to pro-Russian structures.

The court sentenced him to 12 years in prison for treason. At the same time, he was released from punishment under other articles due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

Also in Mykolaiv, the debate in the case of former intelligence officer Eduard Shevchenko, accused of treason, has ended. The prosecution claims proven guilt, while the defense insists on a lack of evidence and possible falsification of the case

Анна Бальчінос