INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian military court sentenced an engineer to 18 years in prison on Wednesday after authorities claimed they foiled his attempt to blow
up an army recruitment office, the state-run TASS news agency reported.The court found Artyom Lozovoi, 39, guilty of treason in the form of
espionage, of preparing a "terrorist attack" and of illegally handling explosives
The trial was held behind closed doors.Lozovoi, a resident of the southern Krasnodar region, was arrested in the fall of 2023 after he was
caught trying to access a cache of explosives that authorities said he planned to use to blow up an enlistment office in the city of
Voronezh.The court sentenced him to 18 years in prison
He was also fined 700,000 rubles ($7,660).Lozovoi pleaded guilty during the trial, which began earlier this month, TASS reported.Prosecutors
said he decided to join the Freedom of Russia Legion, a pro-Ukrainian paramilitary unit made up of Russian citizens fighting on the side of
Russian authorities have prosecuted multiple people in recent months for attempting to join the outfit.Lozovoi was also accused of sending
photos of a military base in Voronezh to the Ukrainian special services.Last year, he was fined for "discrediting the army" after he
protest with harsh court sentences.At the same time, the country has seen a wave of arson attacks on army offices after the Kremlin
planning to set fire to a military enlistment office.
