Ivan Bezliepkin, Yurii Makarenko, Hlib Petruk, Volodymyr Puzanov and Dmytro Reivakh are political prisoners
Five Ukrainians have been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for serving in the Donbas-Ukraine Battalion
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Ivan Bezliepkin, Yurii Makarenko, Hlib Petruk, Volodymyr Puzanov, and Dmytro Reivakh political prisoners. The five men were convicted on charges of participation in a terrorist group for having served in the Donbas-Ukraine Battalion of the Ukrainian armed forces. Their criminal prosecutions and convictions violated their right to a fair trial and other rights and freedoms guaranteed by Russian and international law, including the Geneva Conventions On the Treatment of Prisoners of War and On the Protection of Civilians during Wartime. We demand that their convictions be quashed, that international law be observed in their regard, and that the civilians Volodymyr Puzanov and Ivan Bezliepkin, both former military personnel, be released immediately.
What were the charges against Bezliepkin, Makarenko, Petruk, Puzanov and Reivakh?
The five convicted are Ukrainian citizens who served in the Donbas-Ukraine Battalion at various times. Two of them, Volodymyr Puzanov and Ivan Bezliepkin, saw military service in 2014–2016. When the full-scale Russian invasion began, they were no longer serving but lived in Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine. In March–April 2022, they were detained by Russian security forces during ‘filtration measures.’ In court, both reported being tortured.
The three others — Yurii Makarenko, Hlib Petruk and Dmytro Reivakh — served in the battalion in 2021–2022 and were captured during the fighting near Volnovakha in the early days of the full-scale invasion. In court they stated they had performed their normal military duties and committed no crimes.
The investigative authorities charged all five Ukrainians with participating in a terrorist group (Article 205.4, Part 2, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
On 11 February 2025, a military court sentenced Makarenko and Puzanov to terms of five years and eight months in a penal colony, Bezliepkin to five years and ten months, and Petruk and Reivakh to six years.
Why do we consider Ivan Bezliepkin, Yurii Makarenko, Hlib Petruk, Volodymyr Puzanov and Dmytro Reivakh political prisoners?
The five Ukrainians were not convicted for war crimes, but for the very fact of serving in a Ukrainian military unit. The decision by the Russian courts to declare the Donbas-Ukraine Battalion a terrorist organisation is unlawful and unfounded.
Three of the defendants — Makarenko, Petruk and Reivakh — were prisoners of war. Under international law, they cannot be prosecuted for participating in hostilities. Ignoring their status as such is a gross violation of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Puzanov and Bezliepkin are civilians who were detained in Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia. Their prosecution and conviction also contravened international law: Russia has no right to apply its criminal legislation retroactively in the occupied territories.
The case against the five Ukrainian citizens was therefore politically motivated. It formed part of the ongoing propaganda campaign by the Russian authorities to attempt to portray Ukrainian military units as terrorists and the defence of Ukraine’s territory as a crime.
Detailed descriptions of the cases of Ivan Bezliepkin, Yurii Makarenko, Hlib Petruk, Volodymyr Puzanov and Dmytro Reivakh and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Ivan Bezliepkin, Hlib Petruk and Dmitry Reivakh at the following addresses:
162840, Вологодская область, г. Устюжна, ул. Карла Маркса, д. 57, ФКУ ИК-20 УФСИН России по Вологодской области, Безлепкин Иван Владимирович, 1987 г. р.
165115, Архангельская область, Вельский р-н, дер. Горка Муравьёвская, ул. Спецгородок, д. 1а, ФКУ ИК-14 УФСИН России по Архангельской области, Макаренко Юрий Юрьевич, 1992 г. р.
660111, г. Красноярск, ул. Кразовская 10, ФКУ ИК-31 ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю, Петрук Глеб Александрович, 1993 г. р.
165115, Архангельская область, Вельский р-н, дер. Горка Муравьёвская, ул. Спецгородок, д. 1а, ФКУ ИК-14 УФСИН России по Архангельской области, Пузанов Владимир Иванович, 1959 г. р.
Российская Федерация, 460026, г. Оренбург, пер. Крымский, д. 119, ФКУ ИК-1 УФСИН России по Оренбургской области, Рейвах Дмитрий Николаевич, 2001 г. р.
English translations:
Ivan Volodymyrovych Bezliepkin (born 1987), Penal Colony No. 20, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Vologda Oblast, 57 Karla Marksa Street, Ustyuzhna, Vologda Oblast, 162840, Russia.
Yurii Yuriiovych Makarenko (born 1992), Penal Colony No. 14, Federal Penitentiary Service for Arkhangelsk Oblast, 1 a Spetsgorodok, Gorka Muravyovskaya, Velsky district, Arkhangelsk Oblast, 165115, Russia.
Hlib Oleksandrovych Petruk (born 1993), Penal Colony No. 31, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Krasnoyarsk Krai, 10 Krazovskaya Street, Krasnoyarsk, 660111, Russia.
Volodymyr Ivanovych Puzanov (born 1959), Penal Colony No. 14, Federal Penitentiary Service for Arkhangelsk Oblast, 1 a Spetsgorodok, Gorka Muravyovskaya, Velsky district, Arkhangelsk Oblast, 165115, Russia.
