Russian court sentences Ukrainian film director to 20 years on charges of terrorism

A Russian military court has sentenced the Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov to 20 years in a high-security prison on charges of planning a terrorist attack in Crimea. Sentsov’s co-defendant, Alexander Kolchenko, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Sentsov, who is known as a promising filmmaker and pro-Ukrainian activist, denies all charges made against him and claims that the case is “politically motivated and falsified.” According to the investigation, right after Crimea joined Russia in the spring of 2014, Oleg Sentsov gave orders to his co-conspirators to blow up a Lenin statue in the Crimean city of Simferopol. Investigators also claimed that Sentsov planned a terrorist attack at Simferopol’s eternal flame monument for May 9, during Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.

Investigators claimed that Alexander Kolchenko had firebombed the office of the ruling United Russia party in Simpferopol last year, and partook in other terrorist activities under orders from Sentsov. Kolchenko admitted that he took part in the firebombing, but denied accusations of terrorism and said he did not take orders from Sentsov.

After the sentence was read, Sentsov and Kolchenko sang the Ukrainian anthem in the courtroom.

Sentsov is a staunch opponent of Russia's takeover of the Crimean Peninsula. He says he has been beaten and threatened with rape while in Russian custody.

The trial began in late July at a military court in the Russian city Rostov-on-Don.

Many prominent public figures have voiced their support for Sentsov during the trial. British film director Ken Loach, German director Wim Wenders, and Spanish director Pedro Almodovar have all appealed to Vladimir Putin to end the trial. Russian film director Andrei Zvyagintsev has also publicly called for Sentsov’s release.

In the past year and a half, about 10 other Ukrainians have been detained in Russia on various charges, from terrorism to espionage. This includes Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, who is facing murder charges. Savchenko has been on several hunger strikes throughout her trial, and her case has also attracted international attention.