Czechs Sentence Belarusian Citizen Who Fought in Donbas to 21 Years in Prison

A Belarusian citizen, Aleksey Fadeyev, who fought in Donbas on the side of Russian terrorist forces in 2014-2016, was sentenced to 21 years in prison in the Czech Republic.

Ambassador of Ukraine to the Czech Republic Yevhen Perebyinis informed that Fadeyev had already been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison in the Czech Republic for “participation in an organised criminal group” in the autumn of 2020. At that time, his actions did not prove terrorism as Fadeyev claimed that he allegedly fired only during training, not during real battles. This court decision was challenged in the court of appeal.

On 22 July, the Supreme Court of Prague requalified Fadeyev’s crimes to “terrorism” as part of an organised criminal group and sentenced him to 21 years in prison.

“The Czech law enforcement and judicial bodies pursue systematic prosecution of militants who, instigated by Russia, embarked on a slippery and criminal path of participation in the war against Ukraine. To be continued,” the Ambassador added.

Natalia Tolub