Russia sentences 2 women from Zaporizhzhia Oblast to 14 years in penal colony, citing small donations to Ukrainian army
A Russian court in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast sentenced two residents to 14 years in a general regime penal colony, for alleged “treason” over fund transfers to the Ukrainian military, Russian state media TASS reported on April 22.
The press release identified the convicted women from Energodar by name and initials: L.A. Kachkareva and S.N. Dolgopolova.
The women were detained in December 2023 and, according to Russian authorities, confessed in court and expressed remorse for their actions.
Prosecutors claimed that one of the women transferred around 5,000 hryvnias ($120) to a foreign bank account allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence services since January 2024.
The second woman reportedly sent 2,400 hryvnias ($57) from her mother-in-law’s account to Ukraine’s Armed Forces in May 2023.
In a video published by Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee, one of the women explained she had transferred only small amounts, 100–200 hryvnias ($2-5), after seeing a donation appeal on an entertainment channel.
“I was just watching an entertainment channel, and there was a bill. They asked for repairs, for help,” she said.
The case reflects Russia’s broader efforts to prosecute Ukrainians in occupied territories, as part of an expanding crackdown since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Since 2022, authorities have escalated arrests, prosecutions, and harsh prison sentences, frequently targeting individuals accused of “discrediting” the Russian military, committing “treason,” or allegedly acting as “foreign agents” for other states.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova