Alexey Smykov
Alexey Smykov, born 1996, Rostov Oblast. Charges: Article 205.3, Russian Criminal Code (Receiving training for the commission of terrorist crimes); 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): 23 years' imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony. Status: imprisoned. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, January 12, 2024.
In brief
Rostov Oblast · Rostov-on-Don · Military personnel · Terrorism cases
Sentence
23 years
imprisonment in a strict-regime penal colony
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 205.3, Russian Criminal Code — Receiving training for the commission of terrorist crimes
- 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
Latest event
March 26, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 23 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, January 12, 2024
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 23 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
- Lilia Rudenko — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Marina Tekin — Not in Russia, 13 years
- Nikita Timonin — Imprisoned, 22 years
- Oleg Tyshkul — Imprisoned, 22 years
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Details and sources
Full summary
From 2018 to 6 March 2022 served in the Ukrainian regiment "Azov" as a sniper, mortar gunner, machine gunner, radio telephonist-diver. On 6 March 2022, he was captured during fighting in Mariupol. He was accused of forcible seizure and retention of power, participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation and receiving training to carry out terrorist activities. Human rights activists note that he is a prisoner of war, so he should not have been held criminally liable actually for participation in hostilities, and in addition, they consider the charges absurd. According to women who were tried in the same case and handed over to Ukraine as part of the prisoner-of-war exchange, Smykov was beaten on the head with a pistol while in custody in Donetsk. At the same time, the appointed defence lawyer said, "It would be better if you were beaten." On 26 March 2025, Smykov was sentenced to 23 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.