Search
On 30 July, the Kursky District Court of Stavropol Krai sentenced Ukrainian citizen Hennadiy Lymeshko to two years in a high-security penal colony. In 2017, he was detained on suspicion of preparing an act of sabotage in Crimea. This was reported by the Telegram channel “Extremism—NO!,” which is affiliated with the security services.
Lymeshko was found guilty under the article concerning incitement to extremism on the internet (Part 2, Article 280 of the Russian Criminal Code). According to investigators, he posted certain materials on his social media accounts containing calls for violence on the grounds of nationality. The exact publications in question have not been disclosed.
In mid-July, the Telegram channel “Crimean Wind” reported that Lymeshko was due for release in February 2025. However, after being transferred to the Centre for Temporary Detention of Foreign Nationals, he went missing and has not been in contact since 13 March.
Additionally, Lymeshko’s name appeared in July on the register of terrorists and extremists maintained by Rosfinmonitoring (the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia).
Hennadiy Lymeshko is included in the so-called “Sentsov List,” a list compiled by human rights activists of Ukrainians and residents of Crimea convicted in Russia for political reasons. The list appeared in the context of filmmaker Oleg Sentsov’s hunger strike, as he demanded the release of Ukrainian political prisoners.
At the end of summer 2017, Lymeshko was arrested on charges of preparing a sabotage (he allegedly planned to damage power lines, set fire to a forested area, and cause a landslide). Judging by a video of his confession released immediately after his detention, he may have been beaten.
In May 2018, Sudak City Court sentenced the Ukrainian to eight years in prison for illegal possession of weapons (Part 2, Article 222 of the Russian Criminal Code), explosives (Part 2, Article 222.1), and for manufacturing explosive substances (Part 2, Article 223.1).
Lymeshko served his sentence in Penal Colony No. 6 in Stavropol Krai, in southern Russia. In August 2021, he complained about not receiving medical assistance after he developed complications following a COVID-19 vaccination.