A Ukrainian court has sentenced a man to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property after convicting him of treason for helping recruit fighters for the Wagner mercenary network, the Vinnytsia City Court said. Judges found the defendant guilty of assisting recruitment in late 2022 and communicating with a Wagner representative about joining the group to carry out activities “against Ukraine.” The man did not admit guilt, and the verdict has not yet entered into force.
According to the court, the defendant persuaded another Ukrainian citizen to join Wagner and reported the successful recruitment via a messaging app. He later received information on terms of service, including financial compensation and operational details, and expressed his own willingness to enlist. The conviction was handed down under Ukraine’s Criminal Code provision on treason committed under martial law, which allows sentences ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment.
The ruling comes as Ukrainian authorities intensify prosecutions linked to suspected collaboration with Russia’s war effort. Wagner has been repeatedly tied to recruitment campaigns targeting vulnerable groups, including prisoners, and has operated through opaque networks abroad. European governments have sanctioned Wagner-linked actors over alleged abuses across multiple conflict zones, accusing the group of fueling violence and intimidation.
