Russia court jails Russian-Italian man for 29 years over Ukraine-backed 'act of terror', RIA reports
MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) - A Russian military court on Friday jailed a Russian-Italian man for 29 years after finding him guilty of various terrorism-related charges and of blowing up a freight train at Ukraine's behest, Russia's RIA state news agency reported.
It said a military court in the western Russian city of Ryazan had ordered that Ruslan Sidiki serve nine years of his sentence in a prison and the rest in a maximum security prison camp.
RIA cited Sidiki's lawyer as saying his client had partially admitted his guilt. Russian-language news outlets have in the past reported that Sidiki admitted his actions, but denied intent to harm anyone or acting on anyone else's orders.
He viewed his actions as sabotage rather than terrorism and himself as a prisoner of war, those reports said.
State prosecutors had accused Sidiki of using a home-made bomb to blow up a freight train in November 2023, causing 19 wagons to derail, and of a drone attack on an airbase earlier the same year.
Russia's FSB security service said in a statement at the time that Sidiki had been recruited by Ukrainian military intelligence while in Istanbul in 2023 and had then received sabotage training in Latvia before returning to Russia.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
36 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Zelenskyy calls for ‘concrete actions' as Russian strikes hit seven of Kyiv's 10 districts
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced his frustration with Donald Trump by calling for 'concrete actions' rather than 'silence' after Russia launched one of its largest attacks of the war on Kyiv, where seven of the Ukrainian capital's 10 districts were hit overnight. A total of 316 drones and seven missiles were launched at Ukrainian targets across the country in the early hours of Tuesday, including Odesa in the south-east, where two people were killed, but it was the capital that was the focus of Russia's ferocious barrage. The unrelenting night-time raid stretched over five hours and will be seen as part of a continuing response by the Kremlin to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb, which struck Russia's nuclear-capable bombers last Monday. The strikes on Tuesday morning followed a record 419 drones launched at Ukraine the previous night. Ukraine's air defence systems shot down seven Russian missiles and 213 attack drones while 64 drones were said to have disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare systems. In a statement on his Telegram channel, Zelenskyy appeared to criticise the lack of response from the US and others to the recent stepping up of Russia's attacks. Trump has prevaricated over the question of further economic sanctions on the Kremlin. Zelenskyy said: 'Russian strikes with missiles and shaheeds are louder than the efforts of the United States and others in the world to force Russia to peace. 'Every night, instead of a ceasefire, there have been massive strikes with 'shaheeds', cruise missiles and ballistics. 'Today was one of the largest strikes on Kyiv. Odesa, the Dnipro region and Chernihiv region were also targeted. Zelenskyy said that of the drones, 250 were shaheed drones, and that of the seven missiles, two were of 'North Korean production'. He added: 'Ordinary houses and urban infrastructure were damaged, and even a maternity hospital in Odesa became a Russian target. 13 people were injured. Unfortunately, there are fatalities. My condolences to the relatives. 'It is important that the response to this and other similar Russian strikes is not the silence of the world, but concrete actions. Actions by America, which has the power to force Russia to peace. 'The actions of Europe, which has no alternative but to be strong. The actions of others in the world who have called for diplomacy and an end to the war and who have been ignored by Russia. Hard pressure is needed for peace.' The buzzing of drones followed by explosions could be heard throughout the night in Kyiv, where residents had been told by the local authorities to take shelter in bunkers. The city smelled of smoke on Tuesday with charred residential buildings and the remains of cars on the streets offering evidence of the impact of the strikes, which are believed to have targeted the city's energy infrastructure. Due to the poor air quality caused by the smoke billowing from the locations of the strikes, residents were advised on Tuesday morning to keep their windows closed and to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity. Timur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's military district, said on Telegram: 'A difficult night for all of us. Throughout the night, the enemy relentlessly terrorised Kyiv with attack drones. They targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents of the city.' Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, called for tougher sanctions on Russia and air defences to strengthen Ukraine after the attack. He said: 'Russia rejects any meaningful peace efforts and must face new, devastating sanctions. Already now. There is no more time to wait.' In Odesa, 10 drone strikes injured nine people as well as killing two, including a 59-year-old man, while a maternity hospital was among the buildings damaged. The Odesa regional governor, Oleg Kiper, said: 'The Russians hit a maternity hospital, an emergency medical ward and residential buildings.' Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, claimed that Russia had targeted civilian infrastructure. 'Russian attacks on civilian targets continue,' he wrote. 'Russia lies every day about wanting peace and every day it targes civilians.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Night of hell for Ukraine as Putin launches 315 drones in one of biggest strikes of war sparking huge inferno in Kyiv
VLADIMIR Putin has killed at least two people in a terrifying drone blitz which tore through a Ukrainian maternity ward. Russia directly attacked Kyiv with 315 drones and missiles and demolished large parts of the southern port of Odesa overnight. 4 4 4 At least four people have been hospitalised in Kyiv with seven out of the city's 10 districts being impacted. The devastating aerial attacks sparked intense recovery operations as emergency services battled against fires in residential neighbourhoods. Air raid alerts in Kyiv lasted for around five hours as they first alerted residents at around 5am, according to military data. Russia sent out a 315 drone blitz in the attack, including 250 Shaheds, and seven missiles, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. A harrowing image of the capital's skyline shows how it had been engulfed by a cloud of orange from the numerous blasts. As the sun rose in the morning residents complained they 'could not see the dawn' due to the thick black smoke still lingering in the air. Timur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's military district, said on Telegram: "A difficult night for all of us. "Throughout the night, the enemy relentlessly terrorised Kyiv with attack drones. "They targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents of the city." Russia claimed they had only targeted the Ukrainian Artem plant which is where Kyiv produces air-to-air missiles, air-guided weapons, and anti-tank guided missiles. Zelensky also said large swaths of Odesa, Dnipro region, and Chernihiv were all hit overnight. The heroic leader said the night from hell marked one of the "largest attacks" in the gruelling war to date. In Odesa, a maternity hospital and residential buildings were all completely destroyed. Two were killed at the hands of Putin across the city. Speaking on X, Zelensky said: "In Odesa, even a maternity hospital became a Russian target. "Thirteen people were injured. Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families. "It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action." Ukraine now reportedly faces over 500 drone strikes every night, as Russia appears to have stepped up assaults following operation Spiderweb. Earlier this week, Russian drones and missiles were launched at Kyiv again as Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were reportedly unleashed to rain hell on the infamous Snake Island in the Black Sea. Moscow launched a massive strike on Rivne using its Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers to hit Dubny airbase. Another key Ukrainian military airport - Hostomel - was also attacked as Putin sought revenge for the humiliating attack. Polish armed forces command said Nato fighter jets were patrolling due to 'intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory'. Just days ago, Kharkiv was rocked overnight as 48 kamikaze drones, along with missiles and guided bombs, slammed into residential areas, according to the city's mayor. 'We have a lot of damage,' Ihor Terekhov said. More than 50 explosions rocked Kharkiv, with the mayor adding it was 'the most powerful attack' on the city of the 39-month war. 4
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Russian drone and missile attacks kill 1 and wound 8 in Ukraine
Waves of Russian drone and missile attacks killed one person and wounded at least eight others in two major Ukrainian cities in the early morning hours on Tuesday, Ukraine officials said. One person was killed and four injured in the southern port city of Odesa said regional governor Oleh Kiper. A maternity hospital and residential buildings in the center of the city were also damaged in the attack. Four people were injured in Ukraine's capital, said Kyiv 's mayor Vitali Klitschko. Associated Press journalists heard explosions, including the buzzing of drones, in different parts of the city for hours early Tuesday. The fresh wave of Russian attacks came hours after Moscow launched almost 500 drones at Ukraine in the biggest overnight drone bombardment in the three-year war. Ukrainian and Western officials have been anticipating a Russian response to Ukraine's audacious June 1 drone attack on distant Russian air bases. Plumes of smoke were visible in Kyiv as air defense forces worked to shoot down drones and missiles on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, Ukrainian residents took shelter and slept in metro stations during the hours-long attack. Nina Nosivets, 32, and her 8-month-old son Levko were among them. 'I just try not to think about all this, silently curled up like a mouse, wait until it all passes, the attacks. Distract the child somehow because its probably the hardest thing for him to bear," she said. Krystyna Semak, a 37-year-old Kyiv resident, said the explosions frightened her and she ran to the metro at 2 a.m. with her rug. Russia has been launching a record-breaking number of drones and missiles targeting Ukraine while the two countries continue to swap prisoners of war, the only tangible outcome of recent direct peace talks held in Istanbul. A ceasefire, long sought by Kyiv, remains elusive. In Kyiv, fires broke out in at least four districts after debris from shot down drones fell on the roofs of residential buildings and warehouses, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration. Vasyl Pesenko, 25, stood in his kitchen, damaged in the attack. 'I was lying in bed, as always hoping that these Shaheds (drones) would fly past me, and I heard that Shahed (that hit the house),' he said. 'I thought that it would fly away but it flew closer and closer and everything blew away.'
