According to courts’ decisions, 7 militants of the terrorist organization DNR, who fought as part of russian occupation forces in Sumy region, have been sentenced to imprisonment.

SSU investigators collected irrefutable evidence of their guilt of crimes under two Articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (treason under martial law);
• 260.2 (creation of unlawful armed formations or participation in their activities).

The court sentenced the militants to 15 years in prison.

According to the investigation, after russia’s large-scale invasion all the accused voluntarily joined the so-called ‘4^th separate motorized infantry battalion of the 119th regiment of dnr’s people’s militia.’

In the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region, ‘recruits’ received military gear and weapons. Then, they were sent to Belgorod region, russia, for short-term training. From there, led by russian commanders, the ‘soldiers’ headed in Sumy direction to serve in the occupation forces.

The investigation established that all of them:

• participated in hostilities against the Defence Forces of Ukraine;
• helped fortify enemy’s combat positions;
• were on duty at checkpoints, checking persons and vehicles.

Ukrainian defenders captured these militants in the spring during the liberation of the region.

The SSU Office in Poltava region conducted the investigation under the procedural supervision of Poltava Region Prosecutor’s Office.