A Moscow court on Friday sentenced former Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko to six years in prison in absentia for public calls to terrorist activity in Russia, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the courtroom
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) A Moscow court on Friday sentenced former Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko to six years in prison in absentia for public calls to terrorist activity in Russia, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the courtroom.
"To recognize the citizen of Ukraine Hrytsenko guilty of an offense under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code [Public calls for committing terrorist activity or public justification of terrorism via mass media]," a judge said, reading the verdict.
In addition, after the prison term ends, Hrytsenko will be banned from holding positions within state and municipal services for three years, though only in Russia.
The prosecutor requested nine years in prison for the politician, while the defense insisted on his acquittal.
The criminal case was considered in three sessions in absentia since the defendant is in Ukraine. Ukrainian laws and international law do not allow him to be extradited.
Hrytsenko, who served as the Ukrainian defense minister from 2005-2007, called for blowing up Russian trains with military equipment in both 2014 and 2017, saying that Russian nationals should sustain losses, just as the Ukrainians in Donbas have. Hrytsenko also used to say that each time a car explodes in Kiev or Mariupol, Ukrainians should stage a car blast in Moscow or Taganrog.
