Vladyslav Shpak
Vladyslav Shpak, born 2000. Charges: Article 205.3, Russian Criminal Code (Receiving training for the commission of terrorist crimes); Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in a terrorist community); “Vladislav Shpak's case of participation in the activities of a terrorist community”. Sentence (August 7, 2025): 21 years' imprisonment in a strict regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since September 27, 2025. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 1, 2026.
In brief
Military personnel · Terrorism cases
Sentence
21 years
imprisonment in a strict regime colony
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 205.3, Russian Criminal Code — Receiving training for the commission of terrorist crimes
- Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in a terrorist community
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, in June 2020, "in order to improve his financial situation, as well as for ideological reasons", he signed a contract with the National Guard of Ukraine and joined the special purpose unit "Azov", in April-June 2021, underwent military training. According to various documents in the case, he "performed the duties of a machine gunner", was an "assistant grenade launcher" and a "reconnaissance driver".
Latest event
May 1, 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, May 1, 2026
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 21 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
Criminal case
Vladislav Shpak's case of participation in the activities of a terrorist community
- Case number
- 1-502/2025
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The address is not listed in the database.
Details and sources
Full summary
Ukrainian serviceman. On 17 May 2022, he was captured during the defence of Azovstal. A case was opened against him for participation in the activities of a terrorist community and undergoing training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities due to his involvement in the activities of the Azov battalion.
Mediazona reports that during the debate the prosecution asked Shpak to be sentenced to 19 years of imprisonment in a strict regime colony, after which the judge returned the case to the stage of judicial investigation. During the repeated arguments, the prosecutor requested 22 years. At that, he referred to the Amnesty International report on the crimes of the Ukrainian military. The judge countered that Amnesty International was recognised as an "undesirable" organisation in the Russian Federation.
On 7 August 2025, Shpak was sentenced to 21 years in a strict regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Ukraine
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.3, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.