Sarah Ashton-Cirillo
Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, born 1977, Occupied territory of Donetska oblast. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); “Sarah Ashton-Cirillo's case of mercenarism and "fakes" about the Russian army”. Sentence (June 2, 2025): 20 years' imprisonment in absentia. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Occupied territory of Donetska oblast · Journalists
Sentence
20 years
imprisonment in absentia
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (based on political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or on grounds of hatred or enmity in relation to any social group)
Full wording of the charges
According to the prosecution, between February and September 2023 Ashton-Cirillo arrived in Ukraine, voluntarily joined the International Legion, after which she was assigned to the 113th Territorial Defence Brigade of Ukraine. She received military training at the training bases and was provided with firearms, ammunition, uniforms and special equipment. Ashton-Cirillo took part in combat operations on the side of Ukrainian security forces against members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In August 2023, she prepared a video, which she posted on the Internet, about allegedly created in Russia stockpiles of biological weapons and the use of chemical weapons by the Russian Armed Forces in the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as on the territory of Ukraine during the special military operation. The amount of remuneration received by Ashton-Cirillo exceeded 653 thousand roubles.
Latest event
June 2, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 20 years.
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 20 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
Criminal case
Sarah Ashton-Cirillo's case of mercenarism and "fakes" about the Russian army
Details and sources
Full summary
A US citizen, a journalist. In March 2022, she went to Ukraine, reported from the front lines, and joined the AFU Territorial Defence Force. From August to September 2023, she was their English-speaking spokesperson, but was removed from her position after making threats against the Russian military. In February 2024, she was placed on Rosfinmonitoring's list of extremists and terrorists. It later became known that a case was brought against her for mercenarism and dissemination of knowingly false information about the Russian Armed Forces (neither of these articles at the time was grounds for including a person on the Rosfinmonitoring list). On 2 June 2025, Ashton-Cirillo was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in absentia.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- USA
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.