Law and justice: Ukrainian blogger sentenced in Rostov for terrorist act
In the city of Rostov-on-Don, the South District Military Court delivered a verdict that drew international attention.
21-year-old Yana Suvorova, a Ukrainian citizen from Melitopol, who was active as an administrator of the Telegram channel ‘Melitopol – this is Ukraine,’ was found guilty of committing a terrorist act involving the use of HIMARS missiles targeting an FSB building.
The court sentenced her to 14 years of imprisonment in a closed trial, raising concerns among human rights organizations worldwide.
Suvorova was detained on August 20, 2023, during massive arrests of journalists and bloggers in the temporarily occupied Melitopol, associated with local Ukrainian-aligned Telegram channels.
Russian investigators alleged that these media networks, including ‘Melitopol – this is Ukraine’ and ‘RIA-Melitopol,’ collected intelligence and engaged in psychological operations aimed at destabilizing the local population and spreading pro-Ukrainian sentiments.
The charges against her included facilitating the missile strikes against the college on Prospekt 50-letiya Pobedy, where Russian National Guard and FSB offices are located.
The attack on this facility occurred on March 27, 2023, carried out by Ukrainian forces; fortunately, no casualties were reported as the staff evacuated after a missile warning.
Reports from ‘Reporters Without Borders’ state that Suvorova was initially held in Mariupol and later transferred to Taganrog, where she was kept in SIZO-2, notorious for its harsh conditions affecting Ukrainian detainees and civilians.
Earlier, in early September 2023, two more Ukrainian journalists in Melitopol received harsh sentences: Georgiy Levchenko received 16 years, and Vladislav Gershon – 15 years, both convicted for their work covering life under occupation.
In Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, journalist Olena Hubanova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin were killed during an attack by a Russian drone ‘Lancet,’ illustrating the ongoing lethal risks faced by Ukrainian media personnel amid war.