“The court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced Valentina Zayarna, a 65-year-old teacher who lived in Amvrosiivka, Donetsk region of Ukraine (on the territory occupied by Russia) to 12 years. In the summer of 2022, it granted asylum to Ukrainian soldier Denys Storozhuk. The Russian Southern District Military Court found Zayarna guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, attempting to store explosives, and preparing a terrorist attack. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 500,000 rubles (about $6,300), Mediazona reports. According to the investigation, Zayarna and Storozhuk were watching the deputy from the so-called “DNR” Yaroslav Anika and were going to blow up his car. Zayarna is accused of receiving a package with elements of an explosive device on behalf of Storozhuk. Valentina Zayarna said that she met Storozhuk even before the start of the full-scale invasion, although she knew him as Dima, a Ukrainian border guard (the woman lived in the territory controlled by the Russian-backed DPR group and traveled to Mariupol to receive a pension for her mother). When the full-scale invasion of Russia began, the man contacted her, told her that his house had burned down in Mariupol, and asked for asylum. Storozhuk lived in Zayarnaya for almost a year. Denys Storozhuk is a lieutenant colonel of the Border Guard Service of Ukraine, head of the operational and investigative department in Mariupol. In May 2022, he did not surrender along with other Azovstal military personnel, but was able to hide and ended up in the occupied territory, where he was hiding. In 2023, Storozhuk was detained by the FSB and sent to the pre-trial detention center in Donetsk, and in September 2024, during the exchange, he returned to Ukraine. In an interview after his release, Storozhuk said that during the occupation he prepared sabotage against the Russian military – in particular, he helped blow up an ammunition depot in Amvrosiivka. At the same time, Storozhuk talked about Yaroslav Anik, who was accused of preparing the attempt, as his old acquaintance, whose help he counted on during the occupation, and denied the intention to undermine him. The court in Rostov-on-Don also sentenced Storozhuk, but in absentia, to 22 years in a penal colony. Valentyna Zayarna insisted in court that she did not know about his partisan activities, nor that Storozhuk participated in the defense of Azovstal, nor about the contents of the parcel.”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
The Russian Southern District Military Court found Zayarna guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, attempting to store explosives, and preparing a terrorist attack. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 500,000 rubles (about $6,300), Mediazona reports.
According to the investigation, Zayarna and Storozhuk were watching the deputy from the so-called “DNR” Yaroslav Anika and were going to blow up his car. Zayarna is accused of receiving a package with elements of an explosive device on behalf of Storozhuk.
Valentina Zayarna said that she met Storozhuk even before the start of the full-scale invasion, although she knew him as Dima, a Ukrainian border guard (the woman lived in the territory controlled by the Russian-backed DPR group and traveled to Mariupol to receive a pension for her mother). When the full-scale invasion of Russia began, the man contacted her, told her that his house had burned down in Mariupol, and asked for asylum. Storozhuk lived in Zayarnaya for almost a year.
Denys Storozhuk is a lieutenant colonel of the Border Guard Service of Ukraine, head of the operational and investigative department in Mariupol. In May 2022, he did not surrender along with other Azovstal military personnel, but was able to hide and ended up in the occupied territory, where he was hiding. In 2023, Storozhuk was detained by the FSB and sent to the pre-trial detention center in Donetsk, and in September 2024, during the exchange, he returned to Ukraine.
In an interview after his release, Storozhuk said that during the occupation he prepared sabotage against the Russian military – in particular, he helped blow up an ammunition depot in Amvrosiivka. At the same time, Storozhuk talked about Yaroslav Anik, who was accused of preparing the attempt, as his old acquaintance, whose help he counted on during the occupation, and denied the intention to undermine him.
The court in Rostov-on-Don also sentenced Storozhuk, but in absentia, to 22 years in a penal colony. Valentyna Zayarna insisted in court that she did not know about his partisan activities, nor that Storozhuk participated in the defense of Azovstal, nor about the contents of the parcel.