Russia hands lengthy sentences to alleged Ukraine collaborators

MOSCOW: Russia has sentenced two men to lengthy prison terms for allegedly aiding Ukraine's army, the latest convictions in an unrelenting crackdown linked to Moscow's military campaign.

Moscow has opened dozens of treason, terrorism, espionage and sabotage cases against its citizens for allegedly cooperating with Kyiv or trying to undermine the Russian army's full-scale offensive, launched in February 2022.

Thousands of people have also been imprisoned, detained or fined for speaking out against the conflict in public or on social media.

In the western Kirov region, a military court sentenced a local resident to 21 years in prison after he was found guilty of setting fire to three electrical railroad structures, the state-run TASS news agency reported, citing the FSB security service.

The FSB said he was acting on Ukraine's orders.

Russia's vast railway infrastructure used to move troops and equipment to the front has been repeatedly targeted in a spate of sabotage and arson attempts over the last three years.

In a separate case in the Russian Far East, a 22-year old was sentenced to 12 years for "treason", state media reported, after the FSB alleged he transferred money to Ukraine that was used to purchase military equipment.

Russia has launched several similar cases since February 2022, arresting individuals for donating even nominal sums to Ukrainian humanitarian organisations.