Lilia Rudenko
Lilia Rudenko, born 1984, Rostov Oblast. Charges: Article 205.5 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organizing 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
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 205.5 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organizing the activities of a terrorist organization
- Article 278, Russian Criminal Code — Violent seizure of power or alteration of the constitutional order
Latest event
March 26, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 13 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, January 12, 2024
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 13 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Rostov Region
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· 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
- Elena Avramova — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Nina Bondarenko — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Alena Bondarchuk — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Natalia Golfiner — Not in Russia, 14 years
- Artem Grebeshkov — Imprisoned, 20 years
- Arthur Gretzkii — Imprisoned, 22 years
- Anatolii Gritsyk — Imprisoned, 13 years
- Oleg Zharkov — Imprisoned, 13 years
- Iaroslav Zhdamarov — Imprisoned, 22 years
- Aleksandr Irkha — Imprisoned, 20 years
- Alexander Ishchenko — Deceased
- David Kasatkin — Not in Russia, 15 years
- Dmitrii Labinskii — Not in Russia, 23 years
- Vladislava Maiboroda — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Alexander Merochenets — Imprisoned, 22 years
- Oleg Mizhgorodskyy — Imprisoned, 17 years
- Irina Mogitich — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Alexander Mukhin — Imprisoned, 22 years
- Lilia Pavrianidis — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Alexey Smykov — Imprisoned, 23 years
- Marina Tekin — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Nikita Timonin — Imprisoned, 22 years
- Oleg Tyshkul — Imprisoned, 22 years
Details and sources
Full summary
From 2020 until March 2022, she served in the Ukrainian special-purpose regiment "Azov" as a cook with the military rank of senior soldier. She was captured on 17 March 2022 during fighting in Mariupol. She was accused of organising the activities of a terrorist organisation and forcible seizure and retention of power. Human rights activists note that she is a prisoner of war, so she should not have been actually held criminally liable for participating in hostilities, and in addition, they consider the charges absurd.
On 13 September 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Rudenko had been returned to Ukraine as part of an exchange. On 26 March 2025, she was sentenced in absentia to 13 years in prison.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Ukraine
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.5 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.