Moscow [Russia], December 20: AFP news agency reported on December 20 that a Russian military court has sentenced two people to 21 years in prison for allegedly plotting an attack at the request of Ukraine.
The two people sentenced were Viktoria Shinkaruk, a former inspector at the administrative agency of Russia's Belgorod region, and Alexander Kholodkov, a plumber who assisted Shinkaruk. Russian law enforcement officials said the two defendants used an online messaging application to communicate with their contacts in Ukraine.
Both were convicted of participating in a terrorist group, illegal possession of explosives, smuggling explosives and preparing to commit an explosion or terrorist act.
Prosecutors said the two received money from Shinkaruk's ex-husband, who lives in Ukraine , in September 2022. Russia's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) said the money was used to prepare for the attack. At the trial, Shinkarchuk's lawyer said his client received 107,000 rubles (more than $1,000) from her ex-husband and then transferred it to a third person. Russian media said the third person was later identified as an FSB double agent who infiltrated Ukrainian agencies and posed as a Kyiv supporter.
According to TASS, the accomplice, Mr. Kholodkov, assisted Ms. Shinkaruk by hiding the explosive devices and Mr. Kholodkov also received 400,000 rubles. Both defendants said they were framed and did not know what the money was for. Both were arrested in November 2022.
Ukraine has not yet commented on the information.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, authorities on December 19 arrested a commander of the 211th Brigade, Oleg Poberezhnyuk, on charges of abusing subordinates and corruption, AFP reported. The Ukrainian prosecutor's office said that in 2023, Mr. Poberezhnyuk ordered four subordinates to build his own houses instead of serving in combat zones. Mr. Poberezhnyuk was also accused of covering up for his godson, who was accused of bullying and blackmailing fellow soldiers.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper