Zelenskyy Pardons Ukrainian Political Prisoner Serving Russian Sentence in Ukraine

Ukrainian political prisoner Serhiy Litvinov - who was kept in a penal colony in Kharkiv after the transfer from Russia in March - has been pardoned by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This was announced by the deputy head of the Ministry of Justice Serhiy Petukhov.

He published Justice Ministry decree, which provides for the immediate release of Litvinov from the colony in Kharkiv.

"Physical release will take place, once documents arrive at the colony. This should happen soon," said Petukhov.

The presidential decree on a pardon was signed on July 11. Consequently, the Ministry of Justice ordered to release Litvinov from the colony immediately.

READ MORE: Ukrainian Political Prisoner Found Serving Russian Sentence in Eastern Ukraine

Litvinov has been in the colony in Kharkiv for over four months after being transferred from the Russian Federation. In Russia, he spent five years in jail: the political prisoner was sentenced to 8 years and 6 months for supposed robbery, although at first, the court wanted to sentence him to 25 years for the murder of non-existent people in Luhansk region, when Litvinov was allegedly part of the Dnipro-1 battalion.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed that "the competent authorities of Russia" passed Litvinov to Ukraine, but did not disclose other details of the case.