Russia: 28-year-old accused of being an “agent of Ukraine” who “helped plan sabotage”

A young Russian official faces a prison sentence up to 25 years old for withdrawing €1,050 in cash, allegedly for the purpose of “helping Ukraine organize a wartime sabotage attack”.

OR Victoria Shinkaruk, The 28-year-old is accused of acting as a Ukrainian agent, placing most of the cash in a bin at a supermarket in Belgorod to be dropped off “by terrorists” working for Kiev.

She denies the charge, saying she withdrew the cash at her husband’s request, earning a small commission for it, and had no knowledge of its intended purpose or intent to commit a terrorist offence.

Her husband Evgeny Kissel, The 35-year-old had earlier escaped house arrest and fled to relatives in Ukraine fearing a 10-year prison sentence on drug-trafficking charges.

Shinkaruk, who was seen handcuffed alongside a female police officer, now faces trial by a military court in Moscow and could be jailed for a quarter of a century if convicted under Russia’s draconian new terror laws.

“Victoria Shinkaruk participated in a terrorist “community” with the aim of carrying out a terrorist attack,” Russian law enforcement sources claimed, as reported by the state-run TASS news agency.

She was a state inspector in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, until she was fired after her arrest.

Her co-defendant Alexander Kolodkovallegedly withdrew a larger amount – almost 4,000 euros – at the request of her husband which she threw into the same waste bin in Belgorod. He also allegedly “transported explosive devices to caches.”

Russian authorities claim the money was intended “for unknown members of a criminal group” with the aim of carrying out “terrorist bombing” the first months of the war.

“They used the Signal and Telegram messaging apps to communicate with mentors from Ukraine,” TASS reported.

“Following their instructions, Kolodkov planted explosives and cash required to carry out a terrorist attack in hideouts.”

However, prosecutors after two years of investigations they could not name the alleged saboteurs or the Ukrainian ringleaders, nor specify where the alleged terrorist attack was to take place.

The girl is being held at notorious prison of Lefortovo for 22 months awaiting the start of her court case.

Her relatives say she was following her husband’s instructions to transfer the money – but the court is expected to show no leniency.

A relative said he “wouldn’t deliberately do something against Russia, I’m sure. She is a calm, composed person, not a crazy person. I think her husband framed her by transferring the money. She just believed his words… They have been married for about six years. He’s still her husband.”

A friend of hers commented for his part: “I don’t think she could do anything against our country. She’s a very smart girl, very attractive, the whole time we talked, I didn’t hear her make any controversial statements. He loves our country.”

Another friend, Sergei, told the Regnum news agency: “I think her husband brainwashed her that this money would help him avoid a criminal case… She was stupid and just wanted to help. Now she may lose her youththe opportunity to start a family [ούσα φυλακισμένη]».

The pair are accused of “illegal trafficking of explosives, smuggling of strategic goods and resources by an organized group, participation in a terrorist group, preparation of a terrorist act by a group of individuals from a previous conspiracy and preparation for the illegal manufacture of explosives.”

Russia presents sabotage attacks from Ukraine in Russia as “terrorism”, even though it was Moscow that started the war in February 2022.