Why Azarov was sentenced to 15 years in absentia in Ukraine

In Kyiv, a court in absentia found the former Prime Minister of Ukraine and his assistant guilty of treason. They were accused of publicly calling for the violent change of power, spreading anti-Ukrainian materials, and supporting Russian aggression. 

Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office reported this writes. The message does not directly indicate the person, but the blurred photo suggests that it is the former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, who is in the Russian Federation.

Why Azarov was convicted

According to the investigation, his assistant, along with an accomplice, prepared and published in the politician's Telegram channel:

• photographs of the consequences of Russian strikes on cities in Ukraine

• statements of an anti-Ukrainian nature

• interviews with Russian propaganda media.

In these materials, former Prime Minister Azarov justified the actions of the Russian Federation, in particular calling the crimes in Bucha a 'staging' and shifting the responsibility onto Ukrainians. Such publications, prosecutors note, contained calls for changes to the constitutional order and borders of Ukraine.

What sentence the court announced

The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv established the former politician's guilt under the articles of the Criminal Code regarding treason, encroachment on territorial integrity, and the dissemination of materials negating Russian aggression. He was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The politician's assistant was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment also with confiscation. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kyiv and the Kyiv region.

Earlier, we wrote that it became known what the former Prime Minister Azarov is currently doing.