Russia's Central District Military Court sentenced a resident of Bashkortostan, born in 1999, to 18 years in prison on charges of preparing to commit treason and join an organization designated as terrorist by Russian authorities. The regional office of the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the ruling on October 26, according to Interfax.
Under the sentence, the man must serve his first four years in prison and the remainder in a strict-regime penal colony.
According to the FSB, the defendant completed an application in January 2025 to join a unit fighting on Ukraine's side.
Investigators allege that he subsequently received instructions on leaving Russia through third countries and began preparing for the trip. The agency also claimed that he studied materials on military tactics and firearms training.
Russian security officers detained the man before his alleged departure.
The court found him guilty of offenses relating to preparation for treason, preparation for participation in a terrorist organization and undergoing training for terrorist activities.
Russian law provides for criminal liability for preparations for certain offenses even when the alleged acts have not been completed.
However, the information about the man's intentions, contacts and preparations for travel comes primarily from the FSB. No independently accessible evidence substantiating those circumstances has been made available.
The published reports did not identify the man. His defense's position on the charges is also unknown.
According to the FSB's announcement, the judgment had not yet entered into legal force.