A Belarusian regional court in Gomel has sentenced Ukrainian citizen Vyacheslav Borodiy to 10 years in a high-security penal colony for alleged espionage and weapons trafficking, state news agency BelTA reports.
It is impossible to verify the charges, while Ukrainian officials didn’t comment on the arrest. Previously, Russian authorities have been massively persecuting Ukrainians in occupied territories for alleged “extremism” charges, while the Belarusian government has imprisoned thousands of Belarusians after the 2020 protests.
Belarusian prosecutors claimed Borodiy, identified as “Agent Mongoose,” worked for Ukrainian military intelligence and security services. He allegedly received training to transport weapons and explosives into Belarus for potential attacks in Belarus and Russia.
The charges included illegal border crossing, weapons trafficking, organizing illegal migration, and espionage. Two other defendants were also convicted, though their sentences were not disclosed.
Belarusian KGB officials claimed in January 2024 that Borodiy was part of a Ukrainian spy network planning attacks on oil refineries and government officials. State TV reported he was arrested in September 2023.
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