Ukrainian sentenced to 16 years in Moscow for allegedly sending explosives to Russian colonels

A military court in Moscow has sentenced Ukrainian citizen Vadym Chalyi to 16 years in a high-security penal colony for allegedly attempting to commit an act of terrorism by sending explosives to three Russian Defence Ministry colonels on orders from Ukraine's Security Service (SSU). Source: Russian media outlet Meduza on Telegram, citing outlets Mediazona and TASS Quote from Meduza: "The Second Western District Military Court has sentenced Ukrainian national Vadym Chalyi, who was accused of sending parcels with explosives to three colonels of the Russian Defence Ministry on orders from the SSU."

Details: Meduza reports that Chalyi was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony.

Mediazona says that, according to the prosecution, 30-year-old Kyiv native Vadym Chalyi was looking for work on the Avito platform and got in touch with representatives of the SSU. After allegedly completing test tasks, he was promised 1,000 roubles (about US£12) for each parcel containing 800 grams of explosives sent to three Russian Defence Ministry colonels, and 4,000 roubles (about US£47) for the last package. All three parcels failed to detonate.

As reported by Kremin-aligned news agency TASS, one of the colonels said he received the parcel as a gift from colleagues but, upon hearing the sound of a phone inside, took it out to the balcony until bomb disposal experts arrived.

Prosecutors had requested an 18-year prison sentence for the perpetrator.

Chalyi reportedly admitted guilt and expressed remorse, though the victims did not consider his apology sincere.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!