Following an investigation by the SSU, two militants of the terrorist organization LNR, who, as part of occupation forces, participated in capturing Ukrainian cities in Luhansk oblast, have been sentenced to imprisonment.

Both militants were taken prisoner during combat on the eastern front.

Now, the court sentenced them to 15 and 10 years in prison.

According to the investigation, one of the traitors is a local who at the beginning of the full-scale invasion voluntarily arrived at the ‘mobilization’ assembly point in the temporarily occupied territory.

There, he was appointed a machine gunner of the so-called ‘6th cossack regiment of the LNR’s people’s militia.’

In May 2022, he was taken captive near Katerynivka village, Popasna district.

In the course of the investigation, the militant tried to pose as a forcibly mobilized citizen of russia.

However, the SSU collected irrefutable evidence to prove his guilt in crimes under the Articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (treason under martial law);
• 258-3.1 (participation in a terrorist group or terrorist organization);
• 260.2 (participation in unlawful armed groups).

The other traitor is a resident of Luhansk oblast, previously convicted for drug-related crimes. In 2021, he joined the ranks of the so-called ‘LNR people’s militia’.

When the full-scale aggression began, he was appointed a machine gunner in the ‘2nd army corps’ of the russian occupying forces. There, he fought against Ukrainian troops near Kreminna, Rubizhne, Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Then, he participated in looting of captured businesses and homes of local residents.

The machine gunner was wounded when russian tanks were shelling high-rise buildings on the outskirts of Severodonetsk and was transferred to the rear.

Later, he returned to the front line. In August, the militant was taken prisoner along with seven other members of the enemy group during combat near Bakhmut.

The court found the accused guilty of crimes under two articles of the CCU.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Counterintelligence, the SSU Main Investigative Directorate, the SSU Office in Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office and Luhansk Region Prosecutor’s Office.