The Korolevsky District Court of Zhytomyr sentenced three local residents, former officers of the State Space Agency, to 15 years in prison in absentia for collaborating with Russia in the occupied Crimea. This was reported to Suspilne Krym by the SBU spokesperson Iryna Martyniuk.
“After Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, the officers betrayed their military oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people and went over to Russia. Having accepted Russian citizenship, the officers put on Russian uniforms and became accomplices in Russia’s open armed aggression against Ukraine. Currently, the traitors with pseudo-colonel and major ranks are serving in the military unit of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Vitino, Crimea, from where Russians control GLONASS satellites. Russian troops use the data obtained through these satellites to guide Russian missiles and UAVs to targets in Ukraine,”- said Iryna Martyniuk.
Based on the SBU evidence, the officers were found guilty under the
articles “High treason” and “Desertion”. The court verdict has entered into force, and the sentence will begin from the moment the convicts are detained. By order of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, they were stripped of their officer ranks and dismissed from service.