Nikita Kucher
Nikita Kucher, born 1992, Occupied territory of Donetska oblast. Charges: Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization); “Nikita Kucher's case on participation in the activities of the Noman Chelebidzhikhan Battalion”. Sentence (August 21, 2025): 14 years' imprisonment, of which the first 3 in prison, the rest in a strict regime penal colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since September 11, 2025; place of detention: Pre-trial detention centre No. 1, Occupied territory of Donetska oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, February 12, 2026.
In brief
Sentence
14 years
imprisonment, of which the first 3 in prison, the rest in a strict regime penal colony
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he fought on the side of the AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine) in the 48th separate assault volunteer battalion named after Noman Chelebidzhikhan.
Latest event
February 12, 2026 — recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, February 12, 2026
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 14 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Nikita Kucher's case on participation in the activities of the Noman Chelebidzhikhan Battalion
Criminal case
Nikita Kucher's case on participation in the activities of the Noman Chelebidzhikhan Battalion
- Case number
- 1-472/2025
Write a letter
Facility: Pre-trial detention centre No. 1, Occupied territory of Donetska oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
283086, Респ. Донецкая Народная, г. Донецк, ул. Кобозева, д. 4, ФКУ СИЗО-1 ГУФСИН России по Донецкой Народной Республике, Кучер Никита Андреевич, 1992 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
He fought in the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces. In January 2025, he was added to the list of missing persons in Ukraine's Zhytomyr Region. The same month, the pro-Russian YouTube channel SaveUkraine1313 published a video in which Kucher says that he was forced to go to the front from a colony in Ukraine and berates Ukrainian commanders. A case was opened against him for participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation due to his involvement in the activities of the Noman Chelebidzhikhan battalion. On 21 August 2025, Kucher was sentenced to 14 years in a strict regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Ukraine
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.