Russian officer gets 15 years for surrendering to Ukraine
In Russia, the first conviction for voluntarily surrendering to Ukrainian forces has been handed down. Officer Roman Ivanishyn received a 15-year sentence in a high-security penal colony. The sentence was issued by the military garrison court in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
What do you need to know?
- Roman Ivanishyn, an officer in the 39th Motor Rifle Brigade, was convicted of surrendering to Ukrainian forces and desertion.
- The 15-year high-security penal colony sentence is the first such case in Russia concerning voluntary surrender.
- Ivanishyn did not plead guilty, and his defence requested acquittal, arguing that the charges were not proven.
The military garrison court in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk found Roman Ivanishyn guilty of surrendering to Ukrainian forces, which is a crime under the Russian penal code. The soldier was also accused of deserting from the military unit.
As reported by Onet, Ivanishyn, a mining foreman from Sakhalin, was mobilised to serve in the 39th Motor Rifle Brigade in the Donetsk region.
He attempted to escape from the unit twice, with the second attempt being successful on 10 June 2023. He surrendered to Ukrainian units near the village of Stepnoe.
A recording appeared online in which Ivanishyn expressed opposition to the war and declared that he and his comrades did not want to fight.
What's next for Roman Ivanishyn?
Upon returning to Sakhalin, Ivanishyn and 247 other military personnel, who were exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners, were detained by the garrison court.
Ivanishyn's conviction is the first known case in Russia concerning voluntary surrender to Ukrainian forces. The article concerning this crime was introduced into the Russian penal code in 2022, shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
