"Sympathy for the enemy." Crimea sentences, arrests over Russian air defense

Regular strikes on Russian military facilities have been recorded in Crimea since the summer of 2022. At that time, Russia had already begun its invasion of Ukraine and was shelling it with all types of weapons.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine explain these strikes by the desire to weaken Russian forces and destroy their military logistics, which ensure military operations in the southern regions of Ukraine.

Russia hides effective strikes on its facilities and denies losses. To achieve this, it uses all administrative resources directed against witnesses of what it does not want to publicly disclose.

 

Air defense in Alushta

 

In June, FSB officers came to Alushta resident Igor Kachurets, 37. He is accused of filming the work of Russian air defense in Crimea and transmitting this information to the Telegram channel “Krimsky Veter”, the public “Crimean SMERSH” reports the pro-war blogger from Feodosia, Alexander Talipov.

He helps Russian special services to persecute people with pro-Ukrainian and anti-war views.

The Alushta resident “published pro-Ukrainian posts on social networks, waited for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and denied the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation”, claims “Crimean SMERSH”.

It is not known exactly what views he is talking about.

“Ammunition for small arms was found at his place of residence. The issue of initiating criminal proceedings and arrest is being considered”, claims Crimean SMERSH.

As Crimea.Realities has learned, the Simferopol District Court, which is under Russian control, found Igor Kachurets guilty of two administrative articles: 20.3.3 (discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation) and 20.3 (propaganda or public display of Nazi objects or symbols).

The cases were considered by Judge Yevgeny Pronin. In both cases, he decided on administrative penalties.

Igor Kachurets' position is unknown. Crimea.Realities is ready to give him the opportunity to speak.

 

18 years for "filming for Ukrainian intelligence"

 

Crimea residents are often accused of filming the work of Russian air defense allegedly on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence. And then criminal proceedings are initiated against them under the article of the law relating to treason.

This happened in June with a resident of Kerch. Based on such charges, FSB officers detained a 22-year-old resident of Kerch.

The suspect allegedly contacted Ukrainian intelligence. On the instructions of the host, he arrived at one of the military units. There he photographed and filmed the locations of air defense systems and other military facilities.

"He forwarded this information to a representative of Ukrainian intelligence via Telegram," the FSB headquarters in Crimea said.

A criminal case has been initiated against him for high treason. The Kerch resident was arrested. He pleaded guilty, the FSB claims.

The arrested young man and his legal representatives have not publicly expressed their position on the case.

The sanction of the article of the law under which he was charged provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

A resident of the village of Semisotka, Leninsky District, was detained on the same charges in 2024.

He was accused of “voluntary cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence” and collecting data on air defense facilities near the oil depot and the seaport of Feodosia.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a Russian court. According to the FSB, the Crimean resident “began to sympathize with the enemy” and succumbed to messages from bots on Telegram, which allegedly asked him to help collect data on air defense systems in Kerch.

The Crimean resident did not express his position on the case. Trials in such cases are closed to the public.

 

"They forced him to read the text on camera"

 

In Crimea, not only those who allegedly transmit information about Russian air defense to Ukraine, but also their families can be persecuted. Such a case occurred in Simferopol in 2023.

Russian security forces detained a local resident because her husband posted comments on Telegram channels, allegedly about the deployment of Russian air defense systems and discrediting the Russian military, reports the Telegram human rights channel "Tribunal. Crimean Episode".

"We could not find the author himself at home, because he had long left Crimea. Therefore, employees of the CPE (Center E) did not come up with anything more original than to play a trick on his wife, a kindergarten teacher in Simferopol. She was taken to the department and forced to read the text from the paper on a video camera, which stated that the woman was very ashamed of her husband's actions," the public writes.

Olga Koseikina, as the woman is called, has not publicly stated what happened. Her position in this case is unknown.

Official sources from Russian security agencies are also not reporting on her detention.

Krymka's detention is "very similar to collective punishment," which is prohibited by the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, as well as the Rome Statute, human rights activists claim.

 

“They assure us that everything is calm”

 

Based on practical examples, in Crimea, any footage of the work of Russian air defense can bring problems. There are often situations when “arrivals” and the sounds of explosions on the peninsula are regularly heard and seen, but it is impossible to talk about it.

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center proclaims the “strategy of double standards” of the Russian authorities in Crimea. Russia uses Crimea as a military hub for attacks on the Ukrainian mainland, while at the same time trying to maintain an attractive image for Russian citizens, says the chairman of the board of directors of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Eskender Bariev.

“The occupation media, especially in Crimea, are working to publicly show that everything is calm, everything is under control, the air defense is functioning effectively. They want to convince people that Crimea is safe, that Russian systems are enough to close the sky from attacks from Ukraine. This is their main information task,” says Bariev.

Even despite the explosions that are regularly recorded in Crimea, the Russian side, according to Eskender Bariev, hides the scale of the events in detail and admits only what cannot be hidden.

The strengthening of responsibility, up to and including criminal prosecution, for filming the work of Russian air defense in Crimea, as well as the installation of military and strategic facilities, was initiated by local authorities previously controlled by Moscow. This was especially advocated by the Russian head of Crimea, Sergei Aksenov (according to the documents - Aksenov) and the chairman of the Russian parliament of Crimea, Vladimir Konstantinov.

But even among the ranks of pro-war Crimean politicians, not everyone considers criminal prosecution appropriate for such actions.

The head of the Sevastopol communists, deputy chairman of the Russian parliament of Sevastopol, Vasily Parkhomenko, for example, stated that this would be a rather large fine.

"During a special military operation (this is what the Russian Federation calls its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - KR) you have to think for yourself. Publishing such images is essentially exposing the air defense system, it is a damage to our defense system. If a person does not understand the persuasion, then perhaps some measures should be taken against him. I do not think it is right to take people to prison for this, but a high fine would calm many down," Parkhomenko said.

His colleagues disagree, calling for harsher sentences.