Russian Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Donating to Ukrainian Organization

A Russian court has handed down a 13-year prison sentence to a 34-year-old man convicted of high treason for donating money to a Ukrainian organization. The specific organization was not identified in the court's ruling.

According to the prosecution, as reported by the Mediazona portal, the man made a total of eleven money transfers, each amounting to about 100 Ukrainian hryvnias, which is equivalent to roughly $2.20.

The individual was detained at an airport a year ago while attempting to visit his mother in Yekaterinburg. He had previously lived in Ukraine for an extended period. Prior to his conviction, he experienced several administrative arrests and periods in pre-trial detention, but was reportedly detained again each time he was due for release.

His mother and sister were present on one occasion to receive him, but he never regained his freedom. The court also declined to consider his epilepsy, a condition for which he has received medical treatment since age 17, as a mitigating factor in the sentencing.

Since the start of the war in 2022, numerous Russian citizens have received lengthy prison sentences solely for donating money to Ukraine, even for symbolic amounts.

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the condemned man, 34 years old, made up to eleven money transfers of about 100 hryvnias each (2.2 dollars)