A Belgian mercenary who fought on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was sentenced to 14 years in absentia

A Belgian citizen who fought on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison. This was announced on April 25 by the Investigative Committee of Russia (IC RF).

It is specified that the person involved arrived in Ukraine in the spring of 2022, where he joined an armed group. He was provided with firearms, ammunition, special equipment and food. For a monetary reward, he carried out the orders of his commanders and participated in combat operations against Russian military personnel.

The court found the mercenary guilty of committing a crime under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict").

"Barratt was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison by a court verdict. He has been put on the international wanted list," the department's Telegram channel says.

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On April 24, a court sentenced a Colombian citizen to nine years in prison for participating in hostilities on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is specified that in April 2024, he arrived in Ukraine and became a rifleman of the 59th separate motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian army. After special training, the man participated in battles against Russian troops in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), receiving money for it.