Donetsk Region Court releases a Russian sniper who fought for the Donetsk People’s Republic
On May 18, Krasnoarmiisky City District Court of the Donetsk region released a man charged with unleashing and waging aggressive war, involvement in a separatist organization, violating the procedure of entry into and exit from the temporarily annexed territory, illegal handling of weapons and infringement of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
The Court’s ruling was published on May 24 in the Single Registry of the Court’s Decisions.
The prosecutor sought an extension of preventive measure regarding the accused for two months. However, the accused commented on the absence of risks which could be a reason for continuation of detention.
The accused provided a lease agreement for an apartment in Selydove, in the Donetsk region, and stated that his mother and brother are citizens of Ukraine and live in the Odessa region.
“The Board of Judges cannot but agree with the accused that after his release on December 15, 2017 till December 29, 2017 (dates of re-selection of a preventive measure) he did not fail to appear in court after the first summon that indicates his consciousness in complying with responsibilities assigned to him,” the decision reads.
Judges additionally took into account the state of health of the accused, finding him diagnosed with diseases including chronic pancreatitis, chronic gastroduodenitis, vegetative-vascular dystonia and vertebrogenic lumbar ischialgia.
The Court’s determination does not specify the name of the accused but, according to Hromadske news agency, he is a citizen of the Russian Federation, named Igor Kimakovsky, who was detained while in possession of a Makarov gun and a “DPR sniper” certificate displaying his photo. Hromadske believes Kimakovsky was issued another person’s name in 2015 at the checkpoint in Berezove, in the Donetsk region.
The Russian citizen noted in Court that he supplied “humanitarian aid” to the occupied territories, restored infrastructure of Debaltseve, and was an advisor to the mayor of the city. Supposedly, the accused established connections with the DPR’s Ministry of Education and educational institutions, and frequently worked with media.
Kimakovsky believes that these actions "do not fall within the concept of unleashing aggressive war and infringement of integrity and inviolability of Ukraine".
Under Ukrainian law, such offenses assume a penalty of imprisonment for a term from 8 to 15 years.
The decision of the Krasnoarmiisky city district court is not subject to appeal.