Andriy Petkevich: Russia Sentence Ukrainian Citizen To 16 Years In Prison On Charges Of "Espionage"
A Ukrainian citizen has been sentenced by a Russian court to 16 years behind bars on charges of espionage after allegedly trying to obtain secret military information. Russia claimed that he was working under the instruction of Ukraine's intelligence services.
43-year-old Andriy Petkevich was accused by Russia of attempting to obtain secret information in regard to the development of small arms in the Tula region, a hub for Russia's defense industry.
A Russian court claimed that he was working under the instruction of Ukraine's intelligence services.
Mr Petkevish was detained by authorities in Tula in 2021, before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
His arrest was shared by Russian state-operated media, showing masked officers raiding an auto repair shop and detaining Mr Petkevich.
The video footage, which was clearly heavily edited prior to release, showed officers examining a firearm during the search.
Mr Petkevich was also found guilty of attempting to recruit Russian defense industry employees as spies.
A judge sentenced him to 16 years in prison.
It was not revealed if Mr Petkevich pleaded guilty or not guilty to the charges.
The FSB said: "The verdict of the Tula Regional Court against a citizen of Ukraine Andrei Pyacheslavovich Petkevich, who was found guilty of committing a crime under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (espionage), has entered into force.
"By the decision of the court, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison with serving his sentence in a strict regime correctional colony".
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