According to court decisions, 8 militants of the DNR terrorist organization were found guilty under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

•    Article 111.2 (treason committed under martial law);
•    Article 260.2 (creation of unlawful paramilitary or armed formations).

They were sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.

A resident of Donetsk, who was voluntarily ‘mobilized’ on the first day of the war, was captured by Ukrainian military in March during the liberation of Vilkhivka, Kharkiv region. The remaining 7 surrendered in Sumy Oblast.

The investigation established that after ‘mobilization’ the ‘solider’ from Donetsk was made a rifleman of the 115th regiment and underwent a one-week combat training in Belgorod, russia. In early March, his military unit was transferred to Kharkiv region.

On March 25, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated Vilkhivka, having launched a powerful artillery attack on the occupiers’ positions. The Ukrainian military eliminated 70 invaders and captured many prisoners including this ‘volunteer’ from Donetsk.

At the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, the other 7 militants arrived in Sumy region as part of an illegal armed formation and the russian Armed Forces. They held the positions of a unit commander, machine gunner, grenade launcher operator, assistant grenade launcher operator and riflemen.

Led by russian commanders, these men:

• guarded the occupied settlements;
• equipped checkpoints and stood guard on them inspecting transport and people;
• monitored the airspace.

This group was captured during the liberation of the region by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Documenting unlawful activities of seven militants captured in Sumy region was carried out by the SSU Office in Poltava region under the procedural supervision of Poltava Region Prosecutor’s Office. Primary information was provided by the Sumy SSU Office.

The investigation of the traitor from Donetsk was carried out by investigators of the SSU Office in Ivano-Frankivsk region with the support of the National Police of Ukraine and procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General’s Office.