Kyiv Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Treason After Photographing Military Sites for Occupied Crimea

Verdict from Kyiv's Pechersk District Court

According to Главком: A 63-year-old woman from Kyiv has been sentenced to 15 years in prison with property confiscation for committing state treason. The court found her guilty of crimes carried out between March and July 2022. During this period, she systematically photographed sensitive military and strategic locations, including:

• positions of Ukrainian Armed Forces military equipment,
• territorial defense checkpoints,
• critical infrastructure facilities,
• civilian and military institutions in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

The woman transmitted the photographs along with coordinates to her husband, who resides in Russian-occupied Crimea. He then relayed the collected intelligence to representatives of the aggressor state. The suspect gathered and passed information on 21 distinct targets, which included dozens of checkpoints around Kyiv, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) facilities, and the grounds of a military unit. Her arrest occurred near a military installation, where her phone contained explicit instructions from her husband detailing specific targets for surveillance. This case highlights the ongoing internal security challenges Ukraine faces from espionage networks seeking to aid Russian military operations.

Severity of Crimes Against the State

She was convicted under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This sentencing underscores the gravity of crimes against the state during wartime and the critical importance of countering intelligence threats. In a related context, Ukraine's Security Service recently detained a Russian military intelligence agent in Odesa who was correcting enemy strikes on the city, as well as a 16-year-old resident of Kropyvnytskyi who attempted to organize a missile strike on a local thermal power plant on orders from the Russian FSB.

This verdict is part of a broader campaign by Ukrainian law enforcement to combat state treason and information activities benefiting the aggressor during the war. In the context of the ongoing military conflict, protecting state and military secrets is a paramount national security priority, necessitating decisive action against individuals attempting to commit crimes against Ukraine. Each such case serves as a stark reminder of the persistent hybrid threats the country confronts.