The head of a Crimean club was sentenced to 12 years for a war crime

The head of the "Varyag" military-patriotic club in occupied Sevastopol was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The prosecutor's office proved his guilt in the militarization of Ukrainian children.

This was reported by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. 

It is noted that the convicted man’s actions grossly violate the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. 

The prosecutor’s office reported that since 2017, the man had been directing the activities of the “Varyag” military-patriotic club in occupied Sevastopol. He later became the head of the regional public organization “Union of Crimean Border Guards.”  

Prosecutors proved that, in his capacity, the convicted man prepared children for service in the Russian Armed Forces through labor, sports, and pre-vocational training. According to the agency, the training program for the students includes specialized naval, light diving, and rescue training.

The prosecutor’s office noted that the convicted man also actively promoted the club’s activities in the media and repeatedly encouraged teenagers to enroll in educational institutions specializing in military affairs. In particular, in one interview, he spoke about how students successfully completed training at his military-patriotic club and subsequently began serving in the ranks of the occupying army.

Юлія Калабайда