Nikolai Gaiduk is a political prisoner
A German citizen of Ukrainian origin was detained while entering Kaliningrad Oblast, allegedly framed with explosives, tortured, and accused of a terrorist attack
Nikolai Gaiduk was born in the Ukrainian city of Konotop. In Ukraine, he worked as a history teacher before moving to Germany in 1992. He lived in Hamburg, where he first worked in construction and later as a driver.
Gaiduk travelled to Russia several times. On 15 November 2024, he was detained while entering Kaliningrad Oblast. Under torture, he was forced to confess to transporting and storing explosives and explosive devices, as well as to carrying out a terrorist attack: according to the authorities, Gaiduk had blown up a gas pipeline in Kaliningrad in March 2024. Investigators claim that as early as December 2023 he had smuggled explosives and components for an explosive device across the border and hidden them in a cache in Kaliningrad. He was charged under four articles of the Criminal Code: illegal transportation of explosives and explosive devices across the border (Part 1.1 and 2 of Articles 226.1), illegal possession of explosives (Parts 1 and 3 of Articles 222.1 ), aiding and abetting the preparation of the illegal manufacture of explosive devices (Part 5 of Article 33, Part 1 of Article 30, Part 2 of Article 223.1), and committing a terrorist attack (Part 2 of Article 205). According to the prosecution, Gaiduk committed most of these alleged offences as part of a group acting in concert and on instructions from a former fellow serviceman in the Ukrainian army.
Gaiduk later retracted all of his confessions. Apart from those statements, the only evidence against him is a bottle allegedly containing explosive material, which investigators claim was found in his car immediately after he crossed the border. Gaiduk maintains that the bottle was planted.
We believe that Nikolai Gaiduk’s guilt has not been proven and that the criminal case against him has been fabricated. FSB investigators repeatedly amended and rewrote interrogation records, adding details to Gaiduk’s statements that were intended to link him to previously committed acts and make the prosecution’s version of events appear more coherent. Gaiduk has already spent more than a year and a half in pre-trial detention, while the investigation period continues to be extended on the grounds of the case’s alleged ‘exceptional complexity’.
It is likely that the real reason for Gaiduk’s prosecution is his Ukrainian origin. His German citizenship also makes him a valuable asset for the Russian authorities in potential prisoner-exchange negotiations.
A detailed description of Nikolai Gaiduk’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Nikolai Gaiduk at the following address:
Ru:
236022, Калининград, ул. Ушакова, д. 2-4, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Калининградской области, Гайдук Николай Викторович, 1967 г. р.
En:
Pre-Trial Detention Centre No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Kaliningrad Oblast, 2–4 Ushakova St., Kaliningrad, 236022, Russia, Gaiduk Nikolai Viktorovich, born 1967.
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the intended recipient.
You can also send emails via the ZT service (for payment with all bank cards), PrisonMail (payment with foreign 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.
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
