Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova are political prisoners
Residents of occupied Enerhodar have been sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony for donating to the Ukrainian armed forces
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova political prisoners. Kachkariova and Dolhopolova were convicted of treason for donating money to the Ukrainian armed forces. Their criminal prosecution and conviction violated their right to a fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova and that all criminal charges against them be dropped.
What were the charges against Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova?
Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova lived in Enerhodar, which, like most of Zaporizhzhya region, was occupied by Russian troops. Like many other residents of Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, it is probable they had no alternative but to accept Russian citizenship.
In December 2024, Kachkariova and Dolhopolova were detained on charges of treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) for donating money to the Ukrainian armed forces. According to the prosecution, one of the two women transferred about 6,000 roubles and the other about 12,000 roubles. Russian security forces published a video in which the women admitted donating the money.
On 10 April 2025, an occupation court in Zaporizhzhya region sentenced Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova to 14 years’ imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.
Why do we consider Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova political prisoners?
As an occupying power, Russia is obliged to comply with the norms of international humanitarian law which strictly limit its legislative and administrative powers in occupied territories. Russia has no right to replace local authorities or courts with its own structures or to repeal Ukrainian legislation, except in cases where this is necessary to ensure security or compliance with humanitarian law.
Kachkariova and Dolhopolova were tried under laws that Russia established in Ukrainian territories in violation of the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. They were charged with ‘treason in the form of providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation,’ but it is precisely the war of aggression unleashed by the Russian authorities that threatens Russia’s security.
The son of one of the women serves in the Ukrainian armed forces, so their desire to help is understandable and natural. Despite the fact that Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova have Russian passports, it is absurd to charge those forced to accept Russian citizenship with treason.
The size of the donations attributed to Kachkariova and Dolhopolova were small. For that reason, criminal prosecution and, even more so imprisonment, for the actions attributed to them would be disproportionate, even if the women’s actions had constituted a crime.
Given that Liliia Kachkariova is 59 years old and Svitlana Dolhopolova is 63, long prison sentences will cause them additional suffering.
Detailed descriptions of the cases of Liliia Kachkariova and Svitlana Dolhopolova and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Svitlana Dolhopolova at the following address:
RU:
443047, г. Самара, ул. Утевская, д. 18А, ФКУ ИК-15 УФСИН России по Самарской области, Долгополова Светлана Николаевна, 1962 г. р.
EN:
Svitlana Mykolayivna Dolhopolova (born 1962), Penal Colony No. 15, Federal Penitentiary Service for Samara Oblast, 18 A Utevskaya Street, Samara, 443047, Russia.
You can also send emails via ZT (for payment with all bank cards) and Memorial-France (free of charge).
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the intended recipient.
If you have information about the penal institution where Liliia Kachkariova is being held, please let us know by email at [email protected].
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
