Russia sentences Ukrainian women from Zaporizhzhia Oblast to 14 years for donating $120 to Ukrainian forces

A Russian court in the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast has sentenced two residents of Enerhodar to 14 years in a general-regime penal colony for alleged treason after they transferred funds to the Ukrainian army, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports, citing Russian media and the FSB.

The two women, identified as L.A. Kachkariova and S.N. Dolgopolova, were detained in December 2024. One of them allegedly transferred about 5,000 hryvnias ($120) via a mobile app to "the accounts of a foreign bank used by Ukrainian intelligence services." The second woman reportedly sent 2,400 hryvnias ($57) from her mother-in-law's account to Ukrainian forces in May 2023.

Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee released a video in which one of the women admitted to donating small sums—between $2.5 and $5—for "repairs and assistance" after seeing appeals on an entertainment channel.

According to the FSB, both women pleaded guilty and expressed remorse during the trial.

Citing the "First Department" legal aid project, independent media noted that by the end of 2024, 792 people had been charged in Russia with treason, espionage, or confidential cooperation with foreign states since the full-scale invasion began. Of these, at least 201 were sentenced in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine — roughly one-third of all such cases.

Human rights groups say many of these cases are fabricated by the FSB, often targeting social media users active in anti-war or opposition groups on platforms like VKontakte and Telegram.

Russian forces occupy approximately 70% of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while the remaining 30%—including the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia city—is under Ukrainian control.

Since early April 2025, Russian forces have escalated offensive operations in Zaporizhzhia Oblast as part of a broader Russian spring offensive, increasing combat intensity and conducting attacks southwest and southeast of Orikhiv.