A Russian court sentenced in absentia Oleksi Arestovich, former advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, to 11 years in prison. The sentence was handed down for what Russian justice considers "terrorist propaganda" and "false information" about the Russian Armed Forces.
Arestovich was an advisor to President Zelensky during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The conviction comes in the context of the conflict between the two countries, which intensified since the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory in February 2022.
The in absentia sentence indicates that Arestovich was not present at the trial, which is common when defendants are not under Russian jurisdiction. Russian authorities continue to take legal measures against Ukrainian public figures who criticize Russian military operations.
