October 20, 2026, 10:55 AMRSSRU

Irina Mogitich

Not in RussiaChecked October 18, 2026

Irina Mogitich, born 1981, Rostov Oblast. Charges: Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization); Article 278, Russian Criminal Code (Violent seizure of power or alteration of the constitutional order); “The case of military service in the Azov regiment”. Sentence (March 26, 2025): 13 years in prison in absentia. Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, January 12, 2024.

In brief

Rostov Oblast · Rostov-on-Don · Cooks · Terrorism cases

Sentence

13 years

in prison in absentia

Verdict March 26, 2025

No information about an appeal ruling.

Charges

Latest event

March 26, 2025 — first-instance verdict

The court delivered a guilty verdict: 13 years.

Checked October 18, 2026 · no changes since October 15

Recognition by rights defenders

Timeline

  1. · First-instance verdict

    guilty verdict · 13 years

  2. · Preventive measure: pre-trial detention

    Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Rostov Region

  3. · Recognised as a political prisoner

    Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners

  4. · Persecution begins

    The case of military service in the Azov regiment

Criminal case

The case of military service in the Azov regiment

Other defendants in the case

Details and sources

Full summary

According to OVD-Info

From 2020 to 12 February 2022, she served in the Ukrainian special purpose regiment "Azov" as a cook with the military rank of soldier. After the outbreak of war, she refused to go out for service. She was detained on 28 March 2022 in Mariupol. She was accused of participation in the terrorist organisation activities and violent seizure and retention of power. Human rights activists noted that she was a prisoner of war, so she should not have been actually held criminally liable for participation in hostilities, and in addition, they consider the charges absurd.

Later, Mogitich said that when she was in custody in Donetsk, she had her veins "torn out" in an attempt to draw blood.

On 13 September 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Mogitich had been returned to Ukraine as part of an exchange. On 26 March 2025, she was sentenced to 13 years in prison in absentia.

All fields of the record
Citizenship
Ukraine
Sources (1)

Other people prosecuted under Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code

Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.

All 370 under this article →