Vladimir Dudka

On 9 November 2016, he was detained in Sevastopol when he went to a polyclinic due to an aggravated ulcer. He was given a saliva sample and an epithelial scraping, after which he was taken for a search. During the search Dudka, according to his son, was planted with a phone, on which he allegedly communicated via the Viber app with accomplices. The son claims that Dudka has a poor understanding of the mobile phone device.

Dudka was accused of preparing explosions in Crimea. The investigation declared him a member of the "subversive-terrorist group of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine". After Dudka's detention, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said that he had nothing to do with the intelligence directorate and there were no sabotage groups in Crimea. Dudka was arrested. According to his son, for several days his relatives and the lawyer under the agreement could not find him. During this time, an interrogation of Dudka took place with the participation of an appointed lawyer. After that, the FSB circulated a video recording in which Dudka claims he was supposed to get TNT and was transporting money to carry out intelligence activities. Dudka's son claims that his father gave this testimony after torture - he was electrocuted and then told to learn the text by heart. Dudka later retracted his confession.

Dudka complained about the deterioration of his health in the pre-trial detention centre and the fact that he was not provided with the necessary medical care.

In March 2018, the Crimean prosecutor's office approved an indictment against Dudka on charges of preparation for sabotage as part of an organised group, illegal acquisition, storage of weapons, ammunition and explosives committed by an organised group. In April, the court returned the case to the prosecutor for elimination of deficiencies. In August, the trial started again.

On 4 April 2019, Dudka was sentenced to 14 years in a strict regime colony.

You can read more about politically persecuted people in the Telegram channel OVD-Info LIVE and our politically motivated criminal prosecutions in Russia database