Valeria Marchenko, a typist, has had her sentence extended to 21 years for attempting to set fire to a military enlistment office.

Valeria Marchenko, a typist, has had her sentence increased to 21 years for attempting to set fire to a military enlistment office. This was reported to OVD-Info by the court’s press service.

A resident of Sverdlovsk Region, she is being prosecuted under charges of preparing a terrorist act as part of a group by prior conspiracy, state treason, and undergoing training for terrorist activity. In June this year, she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Valeria was detained on her way to the enlistment office building carrying eight Molotov cocktails. Investigators believe she planned to set fire to the office “with the aim of destabilising government authorities, influencing decisions to end the special military operation.”

Marchenko was encouraged to set fire to the enlistment office by an individual who identified themselves as an employee of the Ukrainian project “I Want to Live.” This person also sent the defendant photo instructions on how to prepare flammable mixtures. Marchenko is convinced that she was indeed corresponding with a Ukrainian soldier, not an FSB officer, because “he knew things that Russian security services do not know.”

• Before criminal prosecution, Marchenko worked as an operator of ammonia refrigeration units at a poultry plant. She has two children, one of whom is underage.