Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Treason and Sabotage in Irkutsk Region

A resident of Irkutsk Oblast has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for treason and setting fire to two communication base stations in the region. The first five years of his sentence must be served in a prison. This was reported on the Telegram channel of the 2nd Eastern District Military Court.

The court found that in 2023, the man, being an adherent of the terrorist organization «Legion Freedom Russia»*, for selfish motives entered into a criminal conspiracy with a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR MO). According to the report, he did this via the Telegram messenger. The court states that the man joined a stable organized group for sabotage activities on the territory of Irkutsk and Irkutsk Oblast.

«After undergoing training in sabotage activities, the man, on the instructions of a representative of the GUR MO of Ukraine, between December 28 and 29, 2023, set fire to two communication base stations located in Irkutsk Oblast, resulting in disruptions to mobile radio communications used for the operation of economically significant, civilian, and military facilities of the Russian Federation,» the report notes.

Subsequently, he agreed to sabotage relay cabinets on the railway in Irkutsk and Priangarye. The man reconnoitered the area, prepared approach and escape routes, studied the design features of the relay cabinets, and also prepared bottles with incendiary mixture. He was detained in May 2024 while attempting to drill out the lock of a relay cabinet.

«In addition, the man, on the instructions of a representative of the GUR MO of Ukraine, collected information about the area where one of Irkutsk»s military commissariats is located. He stored the gathered information on a memory card for the purpose of transmitting it for use against the security of the Russian Federation,« the report notes.

The court also indicates that the man intended to leave the Russian Federation and participate in combat operations as part of the terrorist organization «Legion Freedom Russia»* against the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. To this end, he filled out and stored on his own laptop an application form for joining this organization, gathered necessary equipment, submitted documents for travel to Spain, and booked accommodation there.

During the court hearing, the man fully admitted guilt for the crimes he was charged with.

Based on the totality of crimes, the court sentenced him to 22 years of imprisonment, with the first 5 years to be served in a prison, and the remaining part of the sentence in a strict-regime correctional colony, with a 2-year restriction of freedom.

* Legion «Freedom Russia» (a terrorist organization whose activities are banned on the territory of the Russian Federation)