A resident of Sevastopol, in the Ukrainian Crimea annexed by Moscow, has been sentenced in Russia to 21 years in prison for "high treason" in favor of Ukraine, the Russian security services (FSB) announced today.
Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, trials for "sabotage", "treason", "terrorism" or "espionage" - which usually carry heavy sentences - have increased as a way to limit protests.
According to the regional branch of the FSB, a man from Sevastopol was recruited by the Ukrainian special services (SBU) in 2022.
He has now been found guilty of allegedly transferring to Ukraine information about the location of Russian military units in Sevastopol, the home port of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, Russian news agencies quoted him as saying.
Investigators believe that the man, whose age has not been revealed, was also preparing to set fire to an administrative building in the city and had undergone training for this purpose before being detained by the FSB.
For these reasons, the Southern Regional Military Court in Rostov-on-Don (south) sentenced him to 21 years in prison, the FSB press release states.
Since the Russian attack on Ukraine began more than two and a half years ago, thousands of people have been sanctioned, threatened or arrested in Russia because of their opposition to the conflict.
