The ex-commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, who ensured the military occupation of Crimea, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison and more than a trillion UAH fine. The website of the Office of the Attorney General.

The commander of the naval forces of the aggressor state was found guilty of committing a number of crimes against the foundations of the national security of Ukraine. Prosecutors proved in court that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation from February 20 to March 21, 2014, together with representatives of the authorities and the armed formations of Russia, planned and organized the dispersal of military units of the Russian army at the facilities. They directly invaded the territory of Crimea. The convict also blocked the military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Tax Service, the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine with units of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. All efforts are aimed at obstructing their legitimate activities, seizing and damaging military equipment at air defense, sea and coastal defense facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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By his actions, the convict ensured the military occupation of the territory of the Crimean peninsula, which led to grave consequences.. The territorial integrity of Ukraine was violated and state property was lost in the amount of more than UAH 1,080,352,000,000. In addition, during the trial it was proved that the convict persuaded Ukrainian servicemen-citizens of Ukraine to commit high treason.. He persuaded and bribed them with promises of further service on the new ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the aggressor state was sentenced in 2013-2021 for encroaching on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, inciting treason, sabotage, participating in planning, preparing, unleashing and waging an aggressive war against Ukraine (h. 3 st. 110 h. 4 st. 27 h. 1 st. 111, h. 3 st. 27 st. 113, h. 2 st. 28 h. 1, h. 2 st. 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

In the message of the Office of the Prosecutor General, the name of the convict is not indicated.

Alexander Vitko was Commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation from 2013 to 2018. He held senior positions in the Russian fleet until 2021.. The amount of the fine that the convict must pay by court decision is not much less than the size of the state budget of Ukraine.

Earlier it was reported that almost three years ago the Office of the Prosecutor General opened a case against a Russian admiral, ex-commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, who in 2014 contributed to the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea.