Svetlana Savelyeva
Svetlana Savelyeva, born 1986, Kursk Oblast. Charges: Article 275 applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code (Attempted treason against the state (attempted crime)); “Svetlana Saveleva's case of attempted high treason”. Sentenced on April 1, 2026. Status: imprisoned. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, December 5, 2025.
In brief
Sentence
15 years
Imprisonment (general regime)
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 275 applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Attempted treason against the state (attempted crime)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, "with the aim of switching to the enemy's side and participating in other actions with the use of weapons and military equipment as part of the Ukrainian forces (troops) opposing the Russian Federation, she travelled to the Kursk region, where she attempted to cross the line of contact near the town of Sudzha and proceed to the territory of Ukraine. Saveleva was detained by law enforcement authorities".
Latest event
April 1, 2026 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 15 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, December 5, 2025
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 15 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Kursk Oblast
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Persecution begins
Svetlana Saveleva's case of attempted high treason
Criminal case
Svetlana Saveleva's case of attempted high treason
- Case number
- 2-2/2026 (2-12/2025;)
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The address is not listed in the database.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of the Irkutsk region, a translator. On 16 October 2024 she was detained in Kursk region. On 21 October, a court in Kursk region arrested her for 15 days under the administrative article on disobedience to the lawful demands of police officers (Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences): the report stated that she was found in Kursk with signs of alcohol intoxication, but she refused to undergo an alcohol test. At the end of her arrest, on 1 November, she was arrested again under another part of the same article. It seems that afterwards she was arrested at least two more times under administrative articles, but it was not possible to find information about the cases against her on the websites of the courts of Kursk region. On 16 December 2024 Saveleva was detained after leaving the detention centre. The next day, the court sent her to custody on charges of attempted high treason. According to the investigation, she was going to cross the border and join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Saveleva's mother claimed that she was not going to fight, but to be near her lover, who served in the AFU. According to her mother, Saveleva spoke to her lover when she got into a taxi in Kursk to drive towards the border, and he tried to talk her out of it. The mother also claims that Saveleva was tortured and humiliated.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 275 applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.