The marching ataman of the 'Union of Cossacks of the Feodosia Region' was convicted in Ukraine

A Ukrainian court in absentia sentenced a pro-Russian activist who joined the ranks of the illegal 'Union of Cossacks' to 15 years in prison.

This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on its official social networks.

According to the source of 'Krym.Realii' in law enforcement agencies, it is <b>Boris Yaremko</b>.

The man was found guilty under three articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: participation in the activities of an armed group not provided for by law (part 2 of article 260), encroachment on the territorial integrity (part 2 of article 110) and high treason (part 1 of article 111).

Prosecutors proved that in February 2014, the convict voluntarily joined the ranks of the IAG 'Union of Cossacks of the Feodosia Region', subordinate to the aggressor, in the status of 'marching ataman'. As part of it, he contributed to the occupation of the peninsula.

In particular, Yaremko took an active part in blocking the 'Crimea' border checkpoint, the Kerch ferry crossing, the Kirovske military airfield and the 1st Separate Feodosia Marine Battalion of the Ukrainian Navy. All these facilities were eventually captured and taken under control by Russian troops.

The convict was even awarded the medal 'For the Defense of Crimea' for 'conscientiously fulfilling the tasks of the Russian Federation'.

Meanwhile, this morning, a series of searches took place in the homes of Crimean Tatars in the annexed Crimea. Investigative actions were carried out in Bakhchisaray district, as well as in villages that administratively belong to Sevastopol.

The FSB officers detained four women, all of whom were taken to the so-called 'FSBoffice in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol' in Simferopol. Among the detainees is <b>Esma Nimetulayeva</b> from Bakhchisarai, who is a mother of many children and the wife of political prisoner Remzi Nimetulayev. The searches also took place in the houses of <b>Nasiba Saidova</b> (a student of the pedagogical college) and <b>Elviza Aliyeva</b> in Bakhchisarai district, as well as in the house of <b>Fevziye Osmanova</b> in the village of Orlivka, Sevastopol district.

The Crimean human rights group has previously stated that such persecution of women in the temporarily occupied territories, especially in Crimea, is <b>a targeted policy of Moscow</b>. The Russian authorities are deliberately stepping up repression, resorting to threats of deprivation of parental rights and charges under articles on 'treason' and 'espionage'.

Катерина Глушко