The Kotelevsky District Court of the Poltava region sentenced Russian servicemen Alexander Bobykin and Alexander Ivanov to 11 years and 6 months in prison for the shelling of the Kharkiv region.
"Bobykin to be found guilty of the charge of committing a crime under part 1 of Art. 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and to sentence him to 11 years and 6 months of imprisonment. To enroll Bobykin in pre-trial detention and to calculate the term of imprisonment from April 6, 2022. To find Ivanov guilty of the charge of committing a crime under Par. 1 of Article 438 of the CCU and to sentence him to imprisonment for a term of 1 year 6 months. To defend the pre-trial detention of Ivanov and the term of imprisonment from April 6, 2022", - the judge announced.
The prosecutor's office asked to apply to the occupants the maximum penalty provided by part 1 of Article 438 - 12 years of imprisonment.
The prosecutor's office reported that the occupants destroyed critical infrastructure, residential houses in the village of Kozachya Lopan, Kharkiv district, and an educational institution of the Dergachiv city council.
The soldiers fired from the village of Malinovka in the Belgorod region of Russia, and after the invasion, they opened fire from the territory of Ukraine. The occupants were reliably aware that they were shelling civilian infrastructure and civilians.
After the military was defeated, they went into hiding. Upon reaching a Ukrainian checkpoint, the occupants surrendered.
During the session, the defendants fully admitted their guilt.
The court also decided to exact from the occupants in favor of the state a total of more than 49 thousand for the expertise.
The court recognized the Russians' repentance as a circumstance mitigating the sentence, but rejected the arguments that the occupiers had allegedly acted under duress.
Bobykin and Ivanov will remain in custody until the verdict comes into effect.