- Category
- Latest news
Russian Court Sentences Ukrainian Azov Fighter Ihor Potapov to 28 Years in Penal Colony
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
A Russian military court in Rostov-on-Don has sentenced Ihor Potapov, a Ukrainian serviceman from the Azov brigade, to 28 years in a maximum-security penal colony.
This was reported by Mediazona on October 22.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Ihor Degtyaryov in a single session on October 21. Potapov, 32, a native of Kharkiv, was captured in the spring of 2022.
The so-called “DPR Prosecutor's Office” accused the Ukrainian defender of “training in terrorism” and “participating in a terrorist organization.”
According to Mediazona, Russian investigators claim Potapov joined Azov in 2020, received military training, and engaged in combat operations.
The criminal case was transferred to the Russian court system at the end of September. In August 2025, Rosfinmonitoring had already added the Ukrainian soldier to its registry of “terrorists and extremists.”
Last week, on October 17, a Russian military court handed down lengthy prison sentences to fifteen Ukrainian prisoners of war who were captured members of the Aidar Battalion.
The men were found guilty of participating in "a terrorist organisation" and received sentences ranging from 15 to 21 years in a maximum-security penal colony.
The Aidar Battalion was one of several volunteer units formed in 2014 in response to Russia’s aggression in east of Ukraine. Citing the Russian outlet Mash, Reuters noted that while two of the accused admitted guilt, the remaining thirteen plan to appeal the verdict.
Earlier, the Southern District Court in Rostov-on-Don handed down a 19-year sentence in a high-security prison to Andrii Sopuliak, a Ukrainian serviceman and member of the Azov brigade.
The conviction was based on fabricated charges that included “participation in a terrorist organization” and “training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities.”
-331a1b401e9a9c0419b8a2db83317979.png)
