News Feed

Media: Human Rights advocate turned soldier Butkevych sentenced to 13 years by Russian proxies in Donbas

by The Kyiv Independent news desk March 10, 2023 12:25 PM 1 min read

Ukrainian director Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk holds a Ukrainian flag with the name of Maksym Butkevych, a Ukrainian human rights activist and journalist who is being held by Russia as a prisoner of war, during the 35th European Film Awards in Reykjavik on Dec. 10, 2022. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP via Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Former Ukrainian journalist and human rights advocate Maksym Butkevych has been sentenced to 13 years in prison by Russian-led proxies in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. According to international law, the so-called "prison sentence" by Russian-led militants has no legal grounds.

Butkevych enlisted in the Ukrainian military following Russia's full-scale invasion and was captured in Luhansk Oblast in June 2022.

According to a statement released by PEN America in July 2022 calling for his immediate release, Russians have "claimed that Butkevych is actually a fascist with strongly-held Nazi sympathies, as well as a punitive squad commander masquerading as an activist."

Before the full-scale invasion, Butkevych co-founded Hromadske radio, the ZMINA Human Rights Center, and the No Borders Project, the latter of which aids asylum-seekers.

Author: The Kyiv Independent news desk

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Freedom can be costly. Both Ukraine and its journalists are paying a high price for their independence. Support independent journalism in its darkest hour. Support us for as little as $1, and it only takes a minute.

Comments

News Feed

6:06 PM

Reuters: Kremlin clamps down on officials' travel over state secret fears.

Pressure is being placed on all government ministries by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), driven by a fear that officials could be entrapped while abroad and forced into giving up state secrets.

5:48 PM

Minister: Denmark first to buy military aid for Ukraine from Ukrainian manufacturer.

Denmark has become the first country to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine's Armed Forces from a domestic manufacturer as part of a military aid package, Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin announced on April 18.

5:31 PM

Poll: Ukrainians see Polish blockade as most negative external factor.

Ukrainians see tense relations with Poland, namely the ongoing blockade by Polish farmers, as a foreign policy factor with the most negative influence on Ukraine, according to a survey by Razumkov Center published on April 18.

5:13 PM

German vice-chancellor visits Kyiv as German delegation promises new IRIS-T delivery shortly.

Robert Habeck, who is also Germany's economy and environment minister, was accompanied by Helmut Rauch, the head of Germany's Diehl Defense company that manufactures IRIS-T air defense systems.

5:03 PM

Georgian parliament moves forward with controversial foreign agents law as protests continue.

The legislation was approved by 83 lawmakers of Georgia's 150-member parliament, with opposition lawmakers boycotting the vote.

4:47 PM

Kyiv Independent editor-in-chief shortlisted for Gongadze Prize for journalism.

Kyiv Independent Editor-in-Chief Olga Rudenko has been shortlisted for the Gongadze Award, a Ukrainian prize for independent journalism.

4:40 PM

Zelensky: Ukraine to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month.

The increasing number of Bohdanas being produced by Ukraine is part of a wider effort to ramp up domestic weapons production amid rising uncertainty surrounding military aid from the U.S.

4:31 PM

Ukraine introduces scheduled blackouts in 3 regions amid Russian attacks.

Scheduled blackouts were introduced in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk oblasts after recent Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the Energy Ministry reported on April 18.

3:55 PM

Borrell calls on EU states to send anti-missile systems to Ukraine.

"We have Patriots, we have anti-missile systems. We have to take them (out) from our barracks where they are just in case and send them to Ukraine where the war is raging," Josep Borrell told reporters after a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers meeting on the island of Capri.

3:42 PM

Bloomberg: Russian diesel exports continue to drop amid Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries.

According to Kpler, Russia exported around 740,000 barrels of crude per day in the 10 days leading up to April 13, a 25% decrease from the same period the previous four years.

3:30 PM

Military intelligence: Ukraine destroys missile launchers, radar stations at Russian military airfield in Crimea.

Ukraine destroyed several units of military equipment in an attack on a Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea on April 17, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported.

3:03 PM

Trump meets with Polish President Duda to discuss Ukraine, other foreign policy issues.

According to a statement by the Trump campaign, the two-and-a-half-hour meeting took place at Trump's apartment in Trump Tower.

2:32 PM

PM Shmyhal meets with US Treasury Secretary Yellen.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held talks on the long-awaited U.S. aid bill for Ukraine, strengthening sanctions against Russia, and the ongoing debate on confiscating frozen Russian assets.

1:49 PM

Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast kill 2, injure 3.

A 63-year-old woman's body was found under the rubble in Selydove, located around 30 kilometers west of Russian-occupied Avdiivka, and a 56-year-old man was killed in the village of Ocheretyne.

1:46 PM

Russian attack in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injures 2.

Two men, aged 30 and 35, were hospitalized in moderate condition, said Governor Serhii Lysak.

12:28 PM

Prosecutor's Office: At least 543 children have been killed in Ukraine since start of full-scale invasion.

At least 1,839 children have been killed or injured since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported on April 18.

12:15 PM

Air Force: Ukraine downs 13 Russian drones overnight on April 18.

The drones were intercepted by Ukrainian anti-aircraft units and mobile fire groups in Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts, according to the Air Force.

11:03 AM

EU to introduce new sanctions against Iran after its attack on Israel, reiterates 'full' support for Ukraine.

The European Council in a statement released after the first day of a summit in Brussels condemned Iran's attack and expressed full solidarity with the people of Israel, reiterating its commitment to "Israel's security and regional stability."

10:56 AM

German authorities arrest 2 for allegedly planning military sabotage plot on Russia's behalf.

"The actions were intended in particular to undermine the military support provided by Germany to Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression," the prosecutors said.

10:05 AM

Microsoft says Russian disinformation campaign targeting US election has begun.

The focus of the new campaign is to spread "divisive content," including criticism of U.S. support for Ukraine, the Microsoft report said.

9:18 AM

UPDATE: Russian missile attack on Chernihiv kills 18, injures 78, including children.

In total, 78 people, including four children, were confirmed injured as of the morning of April 18. The search and rescue operation was completed at around 9:15 a.m. local time.

9:04 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 456,960 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

This number includes 910 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

8:56 AM

Reuters: Ukraine says Russia's use of illegal tear gas on battlefield is increasing.

Ukrainian military officials have previously said that Russia is deploying chemical weapons on the battlefield in violation of the 1925 Geneva Protocol. The usage of riot control gas in war is also banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Russia is a signatory of.

6:19 AM

Zelensky addresses European Council summit participants, emphasizes Ukraine's need for more air defense systems.

President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed European Council summit participants on April 17, calling for urgent assistance with air defense systems in order to counter daily Russian attacks.

5:13 AM

Ukrainian writer Dmytro Kapranov dies at 56.

Ukrainian writer and public figure Dmytro Kapranov died on April 16, according to the Kapranov brothers’ official Facebook page. He was 56 years old.

MORE NEWS

Media: Human Rights advocate turned soldier Butkevych sentenced to 13 years by Russian proxies in Donbas

Most popular

UK Military Intelligence: Ukrainian strikes overload Russian air defense, causing 'friendly fire'

Sources: SBU attack against Russia's Morozovsk airbase destroys 6 planes

Finland decides to close border with Russia indefinitely

Russian missile ship set on fire near Kaliningrad, Ukraine's intelligence claims

Source: Ukraine hits Russia's Engels air base. Can it change how Russia attacks?

News Feed

Reuters: Kremlin clamps down on officials' travel over state secret fears.

Minister: Denmark first to buy military aid for Ukraine from Ukrainian manufacturer.

Poll: Ukrainians see Polish blockade as most negative external factor.

German vice-chancellor visits Kyiv as German delegation promises new IRIS-T delivery shortly.

Georgian parliament moves forward with controversial foreign agents law as protests continue.

Kyiv Independent editor-in-chief shortlisted for Gongadze Prize for journalism.

Zelensky: Ukraine to produce 10 Bohdana howitzers this month.

Ukraine introduces scheduled blackouts in 3 regions amid Russian attacks.

Borrell calls on EU states to send anti-missile systems to Ukraine.

Bloomberg: Russian diesel exports continue to drop amid Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries.

Military intelligence: Ukraine destroys missile launchers, radar stations at Russian military airfield in Crimea.

Trump meets with Polish President Duda to discuss Ukraine, other foreign policy issues.

PM Shmyhal meets with US Treasury Secretary Yellen.

Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast kill 2, injure 3.

Russian attack in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injures 2.

Prosecutor's Office: At least 543 children have been killed in Ukraine since start of full-scale invasion.

Air Force: Ukraine downs 13 Russian drones overnight on April 18.

EU to introduce new sanctions against Iran after its attack on Israel, reiterates 'full' support for Ukraine.

German authorities arrest 2 for allegedly planning military sabotage plot on Russia's behalf.

Microsoft says Russian disinformation campaign targeting US election has begun.

UPDATE: Russian missile attack on Chernihiv kills 18, injures 78, including children.

General Staff: Russia has lost 456,960 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

Reuters: Ukraine says Russia's use of illegal tear gas on battlefield is increasing.

Zelensky addresses European Council summit participants, emphasizes Ukraine's need for more air defense systems.

Ukrainian writer Dmytro Kapranov dies at 56.

Editors' Picks

Moscow shooting aftermath: Repressions, racism, terror

What we know about hypersonic Zircon missiles – Russia's latest threat

Portrait of the Invader: 2 years of Russian soldiering in Ukraine

How thousands of Ukrainian children cope with losing parents to war

Subscribe

Subscribe