Separatist from Odesa sentenced to 14 years for participation in terrorist organization

In Odesa, a separatist was sentenced to 14 years in prison for participating in a terrorist organization. He fought as part of a tank battalion and participated in the riots in Odesa on May 2, 2014.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

The court found Maksym Surovikin, a citizen of Ukraine, guilty of facilitating the activities of the DNR terrorist organization. According to the investigation, in May 2014, he arrived in Donetsk via the city of Dnipro and went to the TV center at 61 Kuibysheva Street. Surovikin's actions were coordinated by unidentified persons to support the terrorist organization and resist the legitimate authorities of Ukraine.

In Donetsk, he joined the 'Oplot' unit, became a member of the terrorist organization's power bloc and received the call sign 'Psycho'. In June 2014, he took part in armed resistance to Ukrainian law enforcement and the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Saur-Mohyla area.

In early July 2014, he joined the Diesel tank battalion, led by a Russian citizen. As a member of the battalion, later reformed into the 2nd Separate Tank Battalion "Diesel" (military unit 08810, 1st AK of the DPR), he served as a tank mechanic and participated in hostilities in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in particular in Shakhtarsk, Ilovaisk, Izvarine, Debaltseve, Vuhlehirsk, Luhanske, Yelenivka, Telmanovo (since 2016 - Boykivsk) and other settlements.

According to the Myrotvorets resource, Surovikin is a separatist, anti-Ukrainian propagandist and a militant of the illegal armed group of the Donetsk People's Republic. He has also participated in the Russian-Belarusian aggression against Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Previously, he was a member of the so-called "Odesa People's Guard" and took part in the mass riots in Odesa on May 2, 2014.

As a member of the battalion, Surovikin received the terrorist organization's medals "For the Defense of Shakhtarsk" and "Battle for Saur-Mohyla". He used the pseudonyms "Maxim Zhirinovsky" and "Max Maxyutov" on social media.

The court found Surovikin guilty under Part 1 of Article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (facilitating the activities of a terrorist organization) and sentenced him to 14 years in prison with confiscation of property. The sentence will begin on the day of detention. The accused was detained in custody in the Odesa pre-trial detention center as a measure of restraint.

Nine computer disks containing materials confirming his activities as a member of illegal groups will be kept as material evidence in the case.

In October, the Donetsk Region Prosecutor's Office announced suspicion to 11 Ukrainian citizens detained by the Ukrainian military in Donetsk region. All of them are from Donetsk region and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and voluntarily joined the occupation army after the start of the full-scale invasion.

Анна Бальчінос