Yaroslav Sukhanov
Yaroslav Sukhanov, born 1993, Belgorod Oblast. Charges: Article 275 applied with Article 30 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Preparation for treason against the state (preparation for a crime)). Sentence (June 6, 2024): 6 years 6 months' deprivation of liberty in a strict regime colony, a fine of 150,000 roubles, 1 year's restricted… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since July 4, 2023; place of detention: Penal colony No. 17, Murmansk Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, January 30, 2025.
In brief
Belgorod Oblast, Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea · Former military personnel
Sentence
6 years 6 months
deprivation of liberty in a strict regime colony, a fine of 150,000 roubles, 1 year's restricted liberty
Upheld July 24, 2024
Charges
- Article 275 applied with Article 30 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Preparation for treason against the state (preparation for a crime)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, "in the period from 24.02.2022 to 23.09.2022, <...> being in the town of Belorechensk, Krasnodar Territory, being an opponent of the conduct of the Strategic Military Defence Forces and wishing to obtain Ukrainian citizenship, studied information on the opposition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the conduct of the Strategic Military Defence Forces in <...> the Internet. Experiencing a feeling of dislike towards persons who support the official policy of the Russian Federation in the conduct of the Strategic Defence Forces, he had the intention to switch to the side of the enemy and personally participate in other actions with the use of weapons and military equipment as part of the forces (troops) of the foreign State of Ukraine directly opposing the Russian Federation". For this purpose he "found <...> in Telegram-channel "I want to live" a subscriber with the number <....>, which knowingly for Sukhanov Ya. was used by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to recruit and organise the departure of citizens of the Russian Federation to the territory of Ukraine, and in the course of correspondence with this subscriber during the same period of time, he repeatedly expressed his negative position on the ongoing SWO and his desire to participate directly in the hostilities <...> In addition, in the course of this correspondence, Sukhanov received a link to the Telegram-bot of the same name "I want to live", where he sent a personal questionnaire with his biographical data, and also provided information about his intentions to come to the territory of Ukraine to personally join the AFU". He then packed his personal belongings and documents for the trip and worked out a route, which the court qualifies as "creating other conditions for the commission of an offence". Having set off in his car together with his wife, he planned to move in the direction of Odessa as one of the places of deployment of the AFU for his direct participation on the side of the enemy in hostilities against the Russian Federation.
Latest event
January 30, 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, January 30, 2025
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 6 months
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 17, Murmansk Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
183035, Россия, г. Мурманск, ул. Угольная база, 9, ФКУ «ИК № 17 УФСИН России по Мурманской области», Суханов Ярослав Андреевич, 1993 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Lived in Belorechensk (Krasnodar Krai). On July 4, 2023, he was detained at the border between Crimea and Kherson region, occupied by the Russian Federation. A protocol was drawn up on him due to the fact that he allegedly refused to provide FSB officers with his car. Sukhanov was arrested for ten days. After the end of the arrest, he was immediately detained again, he was taken to an unknown direction, and until September 2023, his relatives did not know where he was. According to the case materials, he was kept in a pre-trial detention center in Belgorod region “as a person resisting a special military operation,” then on September 9 he was allegedly released, but on September 13 he was detained as part of a criminal case of high treason for switching to the enemy's side. The same day Sukhanov was taken into custody. The case file contains his testimony, where he says that he filled out a questionnaire in order to serve on the side of Ukraine, after which he was sent a questionnaire to participate in the legion “Freedom of Russia”. At his trial, Sukhanov said he planned to go to Ukraine to obtain citizenship there and then move to Europe or the United States. On June 6, 2024, he was sentenced to six and a half years in a strict regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 275 applied with Article 30 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.