Young woman in Russia sentenced to 9 years for funding Ukrainian cause
A controversial verdict was issued in Tomsk regarding 21-year-old Tatiana, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for transferring small amounts of money to a Ukrainian foundation. Authorities immediately took action, and the charges of treason against Russia caused significant concern among her loved ones.
7:02 PM EDT, July 12, 2024
The court in Tomsk issued a sentence against 21-year-old Tatiana Laletina for transferring two payments totaling $30 to a Ukrainian foundation. Radio Liberty reported the verdict.
Tatiana Laletina was detained in February this year. According to her friends, the money was intended to support the Ukrainian army. In Russia, such actions are considered treason and are prosecuted by the authorities.
A friend of the girl said that the last contact with her was brief and disturbing—allegedly, she informed her about noise at the door. She emphasized that the convicted girl was deeply involved in supporting the neighboring country and had decisively cut off ties with people supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine.
According to Belsat TV, under the current Russian law, treason can result in a prison sentence of up to 12 years. The young woman was sentenced to nine years.
The court imposed a penalty lower than the minimum stipulated in the article regarding treason, which, according to the Mediazona portal, might suggest that Tatiana Laletina confessed to the charges. The family of the convicted young woman and her lawyer refused to comment to the media.
Strict laws have been in place in Russia since the spring of 2022. At that time, the authorities adopted new regulations, banning criticism of the "special military operation" and discrediting the army. The invasion, initially planned to last at most three days, has now been going on for over two years, and Vladimir Putin's regime is clamping down on any signs of resistance within the country against the ongoing war.
