Political prisoner Zakhtei left Russia: he had been in captivity for over 6 years

Former Ukrainian political prisoner Andrii Zakhtei, who was held captive by the Russians for more than six years, has come back to Ukraine. Source: Suspilne Crimea; Hraty Details: After the end of his term in the Simferopol colony, Zakhtei spent several months under arrest at the Centre for Foreigners in Rostov Oblast, Russia.

Hraty notes that after his release in early February, Zakhtei was supposed to be deported to the controlled territory of Ukraine by a court decision. Still, because of the war, it was impossible, and he was placed under arrest.

On the evening of 13 June, employees of the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia met him at the Ubylynka border crossing and sent him to Ukraine. Suspilne Crimea published a video of Zakhtei's meeting with his relatives.

When he was arrested, his daughter was 7 months old, and now the girl is 7 years old.

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For reference: Zakhtei spent 6.5 years in prison. Background:

In August 2016, the FSB of Russia announced the detention of a group of Ukrainian saboteurs in the annexed Crimea, including Zakhtei, who worked as a taxi driver in Crimea, and Yevhen Panov.

Russian secret services claim that a group of saboteurs allegedly planned to commit terrorist attacks on the peninsula's tourist and social infrastructure facilities.

The authorities of Ukraine deny Russian accusations against Ukrainians and call them a provocation by Russian secret services.
In February 2017, the Russian investigation transferred Zakhtei from Moscow's Lefortovo pre-trial detention centre to Crimea.
In March 2017, Zakhtei wrote a statement to the migration service of the Russian Federation with a request to deprive him of Russian citizenship.
In February 2018, the Kremlin-controlled Supreme Court of Crimea sentenced Zakhtei to 6 years and 6 months in a strict-regime prison and a fine of 220,000 roubles (about US£2,622).
In September 2019, it became known that Zakhtei had written a request for clemency in the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin after learning that he was not on the list for exchange.

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