Odesa woman convicted for calling Kherson Russian

The Kyiv District Court of Odesa found the woman guilty of justifying Russian aggression and sentenced her to five years in prison, but commuted her sentence to probation for one year.

According to the court' s verdict, this punishment was imposed because the woman entered into a plea agreement with the prosecutor.

Since the beginning of the Russian Federation's large-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, the convict, who was dissatisfied with the current government in Ukraine, professed anti-Ukrainian ideology and rejection of Ukraine's statehood, was a supporter of the accession of the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation or the creation of pro-Russian pseudo-state formations on its territory, approved the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, recognized it as legitimate and sought ways to facilitate it, a criminal intent arose to disseminate materials containing justification, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which began in 2014, recognition as legitimate, denial of the temporary occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine.

In order to realize her aspirations, she began to distribute posts mainly on Telegram, in which, for example, she first denied the possibility of de-occupation of Kherson, referring to the fact that Russia had written it into its constitution as its own city, and then, when the Russians left Kherson, she wrote that it still remained Russian, because it was written in the constitution of the occupiers.

The convict also approved of Russian strikes on the Ukrainian electricity sector and claimed that Russia would complete its invasion when Ukraine stopped threatening it and discriminating against Russian speakers.

However, during interrogations, she pleaded guilty and claimed to be sincerely sorry and asked not to be punished severely.

Кирило Бойко