Russian court convicts 15 Aidar fighters of alleged terrorism
A Russian military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers from the Aidar battalion to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years in a strict-regime penal colony, Mediazona reported, citing the court's press service.
The convicts were prosecuted solely for serving in the Aidar battalion, with no war crimes alleged against them.
Prosecutors branded the activities of not only frontline Aidar troops but also drivers and medics as criminal, arguing that providing medical aid "ensured the unit's combat readiness and ability to carry out assigned tasks."
The men were found guilty of "participating in a terrorist organization, attempting a violent seizure of power, and undergoing training for terrorist purposes." Their sentences include:
- Dmytro Fedchenko: 15 years in strict regime;
- Andriy Sholik, Vitaliy Krokhalev and Vyacheslav Baydiuk: 16 years;
- Volodymyr Makarenko and Ihor Hayokha: 18 years;
- Mykola Chupryna, Taras Radchenko, Semen Zabayrachny, Serhiy Nikityuk, Oleksandr Taranets and Vladyslav Yermolinskyi: 20 years;
- Vitaliy Hruzynov, Roman Nedostup and Serhiy Kalinchenko: 21 years.
Mediazona noted that two women in the case — medics Liliya Prutian and Maryna Mishchenko — had already been repatriated to Ukraine in a prisoner swap.
The criminal case against another defendant, Yevhen Pyatyhorets, was separated for individual proceedings, and prosecutors have not yet sought a sentence for him.
During the trial, the Ukrainians reported being tortured while in pretrial detention in the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic." In October 2024, when the defense was set to present evidence, the court closed proceedings to the public and press, citing "wide public resonance" and "threats to participants."
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