Odesa Court Sentences Accused of Assassinating Civic Activists to Prison Term
On October 22, the Primorsky District Court of Odessa delivered a verdict in the case of Mykola Mayorenkо, who was charged with organizing contract killings of two well-known public activists – Gennady Beybutyan and Dmyan Hanul.
The court sentenced him to the maximum penalty of 14 years in prison with confiscation of property.
According to sources, during the last hearing, Mayorenkо confessed entirely to his guilt and agreed to a simplified trial process; earlier, he had denied any involvement.
It was established that he was detained in October 2024 during an attempt to orchestrate the murder of businessman Beybutyan, which law enforcement officers staged and intercepted.
Investigations indicate that the crime was committed under orders from Russia.
Additionally, Mayorenkо is accused of planning the murder of another civic figure – Dmyan Hanul, who was killed in Odessa on March 14, 2025.
Another suspect, Sergiy Shalayev, is also being prosecuted for the murder.
Authorities claim that the assassinations were ordered by unknown persons acting in Russia’s interests, and although motives remain unclear, investigators suspect foreign intelligence agencies’ involvement.