In Odesa, a court sentenced a National Guard soldier to 5 years in prison for illegal possession of firearms

A 55-year-old National Guard soldier in Odesa was sentenced to five years in prison for failing to return to his military unit after leave. The man attributed his absence to health problems, but the court did not consider this a valid reason.

This is stated in the verdict of the Khadzhibey District Court of Odesa.

According to the case file, the soldier was supposed to return to duty on March 16, 2025, after his leave ended. However, he did not report to his unit until November 12, when he was detained.

The defendant did not admit guilt. He claimed that he had health problems, was updating his medical records, and was undergoing treatment. Specifically, from June 4 to 17, 2025, he was hospitalized at a medical facility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Odesa region. The man asked the court to acquit him and stated that he wanted to return to duty.

At the same time, the court noted that the soldier had not returned to his unit as early as March, and his confirmed inpatient treatment began nearly two and a half months later. The company commander also reported that after his leave ended, the man did not answer phone calls. Military personnel went to his home but did not find him there.

The court found the National Guard soldier guilty of failing to report for duty on time without valid reasons under martial law, pursuant to Part 5 of Article 407 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He was sentenced to five years in prison. The court found no grounds for granting probation.

The man will remain in custody until the verdict becomes final. The period of pretrial detention will be credited toward his sentence at a rate of one day for each day of imprisonment. The verdict may be appealed within 30 days.

Ірина Глухова