started · updated
Berdyansk pensioner sentenced to 14 years for 29 euro donation to Ukraine
A pensioner in the Russian-occupied city of Berdyansk has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for providing financial support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The individual, born in 1952, used a Ukrainian mobile banking app to transfer 1,500 hryvnias, equivalent to approximately 29 euros, to Ukrainian soldiers in 2024.
The Zaporizhzhia Regional Court stated that the defendant was convicted of treason, noting that she had been granted Russian citizenship in 2023. Occupation authorities characterized the donation as a threat to Russian security.
Data from the human rights organization Perviy otdel and Parubets Analytics indicate a significant rise in political prosecutions in Russia. In 2025, 468 people were convicted of treason and espionage, the highest annual figure since 1997. Since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, a total of 1,006 people have been convicted under these charges. Furthermore, treason convictions in the first quarter of 2026 were reportedly 20% higher than in the same period in 2025.
Entities
Berdyansk · Parubets Analytics · Perviy otdel · Ukrainian Armed Forces · Zaporizhzhia Regional Court
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] In 2025, 468 people in Russia were convicted of treason and espionage, the highest number since the 1997 criminal code took effect. pmo.ee · jauns.lv
- [● 3 SOURCES] The defendant was granted Russian citizenship in 2023 and was convicted of treason. pmo.ee · jauns.lv
- [● 3 SOURCES] The number of treason convictions in Russia in the first quarter of 2026 was 20% higher than in 2025. pmo.ee · jauns.lv
- [● 3 SOURCES] A pensioner in occupied Berdyansk was sentenced to 14 years in prison for donating 1,500 hryvnias (approximately 29 euros) to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. pmo.ee · jauns.lv
- [● 3 SOURCES] Since February 2022, 1,006 people have been convicted in Russia under treason and espionage charges. pmo.ee · jauns.lv