Mykola Shvets
Date of birth: 5 April 1993
Date of detention: 23 March 2023
Charges indicted:
- Art. 295 of the Criminal Code — Unlawful acts against firearms, ammunition and explosives
- Art. 309 of the Criminal Code — Intentional disrepair of a vehicle or communication lines
- Art. 289 of the Criminal Code — An act of terrorism
- Article 358-1 of the Criminal Code — Agent activity
- Article 290-3 of the Criminal Code — Preparation for training or other preparation for participation in terrorist activities
Sentence: 25 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony
Date of release: 28 June 2024
Judge: Valiantsina Ziankevich
Cases: Diversion in Mačuliščy
Notes: Foreign citizens, Trials in absentia, War in Ukraine
Mykola Shvets is a Ukraininan citizen accused of sabotage at the Machulishchy military airfield in February 2023. He is considered by the investigation to be the main perpetrator of the sabotage.
In June 2024, the Ukrainian authorities secured the release of their citizens through a prisoner exchange. As a result, Natallia Zakharanka, Pavlo Kupriyenko, Liudmila Hancharenka, Katsiaryna Brukhanava, and a figure in the "Machulishchy case", Mykola Shvets, were released. The terms of the exchange were not disclosed. The released political prisoners were brought to Ukraine on June 28. Their photos from the Zhulyany airport appeared in the media.
On October 4, 2024, Mykola Shvets was sentenced in absentia to 25 years in a medium-security penal colony with a fine of 1,000 basic units (40,000 rubles).
