Odessa militant of the DPR sentenced to 12 years: why was he punished in absentia.

A resident of Odessa has been fighting against the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2015 as part of the so-called DPR paramilitary formations and spreading pro-Russian views on social media. For this, a case was opened against him, and the court in absentia sentenced him to 12 years in prison.

The Odessa regional prosecutor's office reported that a 55-year-old resident of Odessa left for temporarily occupied Donetsk at the beginning of 2015. There he joined the '1st Army Corps of the People's Militia' of the DPR, where he served under the call sign 'Marine'. Until 2018, he conducted reconnaissance and sabotage activities, participated in combat operations, and was part of various paramilitary groups.

The suspect also spread the ideology of terrorism through social media, supported pro-Russian ideas, and opposed Ukrainian statehood. He is currently located in the occupied territory of Donetsk region.

The Court's Decision

The individual was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization under Part 1 of Article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

In the case of such violations, it is important that justice prevails and that the competent Ukrainian court takes appropriate measures. In this case, the court imposed a penalty for participating in a terrorist organization, as ultimately supporting illegal groups and spreading pro-Russian ideas is a serious violation of the law and Ukraine's national security.