The Supreme Court upholds the sentence against a member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation convicted of encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine

On 30 May 2024, the Criminal Cassation Court of the Supreme Court upheld the court decisions according to which a member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation was found guilty of intentionally committing actions as a representative of the authorities, by prior conspiracy with other persons, to change the boundaries of the territory and state border of Ukraine in violation of the procedure established by the Constitution of Ukraine, which led to the death of people and other grave consequences (part 3 of Article 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). She was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with confiscation of all her property in favour of the state of Ukraine.

As the courts found, on 15 February 2022, the deputy, together with other representatives of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, supported a resolution addressing the President of the Russian Federation with a request to consider the issue of Russia's recognition of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic as independent states. In addition, on 22 February 2022, she supported the ratification of treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between Russia and the DPR and LPR. Such decisions were part of the criminal plan of the aggressor country, as the very fact of their existence was used to create pretexts for escalating the military conflict and was an attempt to justify the aggression. These actions led to grave consequences in the form of deaths, including of children, bodily injuries of varying severity and material damage in the form of destruction of buildings, property and infrastructure.

This criminal proceeding, both at the pre-trial investigation and during the trial, was conducted in the absence of the accused (in absentia) under the special pre-trial and trial procedure.

The full text of the ruling of the Criminal Cassation Court of the Supreme Court in case No. 127/26784/22 (proceedings No. 51-7572кm23) will be announced on 4 June 2024 at 5 p.m.