Luhansk man sentenced to 12 years over fighting for Russian proxy forces

A man from Luhansk was sentenced to 12 years in prison for voluntarily fighting in the ranks of Russian proxy forces in Luhansk Oblast, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Dec. 6.

Russia has occupied part of Luhansk Oblast since 2014, and has captured most of the region since the start of the full-scale invasion. While some residents of occupied territories have willingly collaborated with Russia, Moscow has also reportedly coerced locals into their ranks.

The man, who served as a firefighter commander in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast between 2018 and 2022, signed a contract with Russian proxy forces in the region in December 2022, the prosecutors said.

He reportedly fought at the front in Luhansk Oblast since March 2023.

Ukrainian forces detained the collaborator in late May near the village of Bilohorivka, one of the few settlements in Luhansk Oblast still held by Ukraine, according to the prosecutors.

Apart from the prison sentence, the penalty for the man issued by the court included confiscation of property and a ban on holding positions in judicial or law enforcement bodies.

Two other militants from occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts fighting under Russia were sentenced to 12 years in prison last week.

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The Kyiv IndependentAlexander Khrebet