Over 20 Terrorism-Related Cases Against Ukrainians Filed in Rostov-on-Don in November
In November 2025, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don received more than 20 criminal cases against Ukrainian citizens accused under a range of serious terrorism-related provisions. As in the previous three months, the majority of those prosecuted are servicemen from the Azov and Aidar battalions, both designated as terrorist organisations in Russia.
Among the defendants are Roman Petrovich (36) and Starobilsk residents Hennadii Dobrovolskyi and Oleksandr Sheiko (both born in 1964), accused of involvement in the Aidar battalion. Dobrovolskyi also faces additional charges related to the alleged possession of weapons and explosive materials.
A further 13 people — Maksym Yuryst (33), Hennadii Minakov (53), Oleksandr Kolytaiev (46), Kostiantyn Nikulin (51), Kostiantyn Kolchenko (39), Vladyslav Lukianov (33), Valerii Korovin (44), Andrii Haliuk (29), Dmytro Hlazkov (42), Oleksandr Panov (50), Serhii Blyzniuk (53), Valerii Chub (28), and Illia Tryshchenko (27) — are charged with participation in the Azov battalion (Article 205.4 of the Russian Criminal Code) and with ‘terrorist training’ (Article 205.3). As a rule, defendants in such cases are not accused of specific war crimes or participation in particular battles. Instead, the charges are based on service in the unit and the completion of standard military training.
Particular attention has been drawn to cases involving three residents of Donetsk region: Vladyslav Hamzyn (21), Nikita Kovalchuk (20), and Yevhen Karpenko (41). In all three cases, the investigative authorities’ version of events has not been made public. Hamzyn is charged with three counts of ‘justifying terrorism’ (Article 205.2) as well as high treason (Article 275). Kovalchuk and Karpenko are charged with aiding terrorist activity (Part 3 of Article 205.1), participation in a terrorist organisation (Article 205.4), possession of explosive materials (Part 4 of Article 222.1), and high treason.
According to Russian investigators, Oksana Ptakhina, a 35-year-old resident of Melitopol, joined a terrorist organisation in early 2023 and recruited her brother. According to the state news agency TASS, the two allegedly collected and transmitted information ‘on the instructions of Ukrainian intelligence services’ regarding the locations of Russian troops and infrastructure facilities in Zaporizhzhia region. The authorities claim that information concerning a building in Melitopol where Russian servicemen and military equipment were stationed was later used to prepare a strike in March 2023, in which two people were injured. No information is currently available about the fate of Ptakhina’s brother.
Two others — Tetiana Malyvanchenko (56) from Berdiansk and Oleksii Marchenko (33) from Melitopol — are charged under provisions related to ‘justifying terrorism online’. Such cases are typically based on comments made on social media platforms or messaging applications. The specific content of the alleged posts has not been disclosed. Olha Yurchenko (50), in turn, is accused of a terrorist act (Part 2 of Article 205).
In November, the military court in Rostov-on-Don handed down more than 20 sentences to Ukrainian citizens in terrorism-related cases. The cases reflect the continued use of terrorism legislation as a central tool in the prosecution of Ukrainians.
