Russia Sentences Ukrainian Soldier Captured in Russian-Occupied Crimea to 20 Years in Prison

On September 3, a court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Lyubas to 20 years in prison, with 17 years of his sentence served in a high-security penal colony.

Lyubas was reportedly captured while attempting to land in temporarily occupied Crimea in late 2023.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office stated that Lyubas was part of a small group of Ukrainian soldiers who tried to carry out an amphibious operation on the peninsula and was captured during this mission. Lyubas faced charges of illegally crossing the state border, arms smuggling, and preparing to commit a terrorist act.

In court, Lyubas denied any criminal or terrorist intentions. He stated, "I am guilty only of being a soldier of the country in which I was born, lived and am a citizen of, as part of the mobilization I was called up to the army and carried out the orders of the commander. I never had the intention of causing harm to the civilian population (of Russia)."

Lyubas argued that under international law, he should be recognized as a prisoner of war (POW) and granted the corresponding legal protections.

The Russian legal system doesn’t provide transparency, and international human rights organizations have frequently reported widespread abuse in Russian prisons, including the use of torture to extract confessions. Many Ukrainian soldiers are currently on trial in Russia under false charges of supporting or planning "terrorism."