Vladimir Puzanov
Charges: Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in a terrorist community); “Ukrainian servicemen's case of participation in the Donbass-Ukraine battalion”. Sentence (February 11, 2025): 5 years 8 months' imprisonment. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since July 9, 2025; place of detention: Penal colony No. 14, Arkhangelsk Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, November 26, 2025.
In brief
Former military personnel · Terrorism cases
Sentence
5 years 8 months
imprisonment
Upheld July 9, 2025
Charges
- Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in a terrorist community
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigators' version, he participated in combat operations while being part of the Donbass battalion and its unit of the 46th separate assault battalion "Donbass-Ukraine" on the territories of the LNR and DNR. "In 2014-2016, Puzanov served as a rifle driver in the Ukrainian-occupied territories of the LPR (Luhansk People's Republic) and DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) , including Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and Mariupol. At the checkpoints, he performed illegal service and searched the documents of civilians". In April 2016, he left the unit of his own volition, but did not report his service during the filtration measures. The battalion in which he served was recognised as a "terrorist organization" by a DPR court in 2016; it is not on the unified list of terrorist organizations published by the Russian Federal Security Service.
Latest event
November 26, 2025 — recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, November 26, 2025
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years 8 months
· Persecution begins
Ukrainian servicemen's case of participation in the Donbass-Ukraine battalion
Criminal case
Ukrainian servicemen's case of participation in the Donbass-Ukraine battalion
Other defendants in the case
- Ivan Bezlepkin — Imprisoned, 5 years 10 months
- Yurii Makarenko — Imprisoned, 5 years 8 months
- Gleb Petruk — Imprisoned, 6 years
- Dmitrii Reivakh — Imprisoned, 6 years
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 14, Arkhangelsk Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
165115, Архангельская область, Вельский район, д. Горка-Муравьёвская, Спецгородок д.1 «А», ФКУ «ИК № 14 УФСИН России по Архангельской области», Пузанов Владимир Иванович, 1959 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A former Ukrainian serviceman. Detained in March 2022 by the people's militia of the self-proclaimed DNR. He was accused of participation in the activities of a terrorist organization: according to the investigation, he participated in combat operations against civilians and servicemen of the self-proclaimed DNR as a member of the Donbass-Ukraine battalion. On 11 February 2025, Puzanov was sentenced to five years and eight months in a general regime colony.
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.