Disabled Russian Student Sentenced to 12 Years for Treason Over €33 Donation to Ukraine
A Russian student with cerebral palsy has been sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security prison for treason after he sent a €33 online donation to Ukraine, Russian independent media reported.
Twenty-one-year-old Andrei Glukhov, a second-year student at the Volgograd Polytechnic College, was arrested after a September 2024 search of the apartment he shared with his mother.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) seized computer equipment and interrogated him, later detaining him in October. According to his father, Eduard Glukhov, the young man spent most of his time at home and had limited mobility, with his arm and leg affected by his condition.
The court ruling was handed down on May 29, following a one-month trial. Glukhov was convicted under Article 275 of Russia’s Criminal Code, which covers treason.
€33 for a 12-year sentence
In an interview with independent news outlet Mediazona, his father, Eduard Glukhov, said that Andrei’s “right arm and leg don’t work well.”
Eduard said that his son opposed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and came into contact online with someone who claimed to be Ukrainian. The acquaintance allegedly encouraged donations to support peace efforts and provided a bank account number in Ukraine.
“Twice for 1,500 rubles (€16.6), my son says, he transferred it — and that’s it,” he said.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian authorities have broadened the use of treason laws and imposed severe penalties for actions viewed as aiding the enemy, including online statements and humanitarian donations.
The case has drawn criticism from independent Russian media and human rights observers, who say it exemplifies the use of extreme charges for minor actions viewed as sympathetic to Ukraine.
Legal experts and rights groups have raised concerns about the prosecution of vulnerable individuals under harsh wartime legislation, particularly when charges rely on limited evidence or minimal actions.
Source: Tvp World