Ermolenkov Andrey Yurevich

In May 2023, the FSB detained 20-year-old Andrey Yermolenkov, a resident of Zheleznogorsk, in the Kursk region. According to law enforcement's version, after the announcement of the SMO in February 2022, Ermolenko decided to travel to Ukraine to participate in military and other actions on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He began studying the Ukrainian language and through the "Legion of Freedom of Russia" bot sent his data to join the Ukrainian paramilitary organization. The test assignment for joining the legion was allegedly the requirement to send the deployment locations of military units in the Kursk region. Ermolenko twice traveled to border areas of the Kursk region, wanting to cross the border, but was unable to do so because. He was detained by security forces. The Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia for the Kursk Region initiated a criminal case against Yermolenko for preparation for state treason in the form of going over to the side of the enemy, not completed due to circumstances beyond his control, and for attempted illegal crossing of the State Border of the Russian Federation." As a measure of restraint, the court ordered him to be detained. In the closing arguments, the prosecutor requested that Yermolenko be found guilty and, for the totality of crimes, sentenced to 6 years and 6 months in prison in a strict regime penal colony with a 1-year restriction of freedom and a fine of 70,000 rubles. On January 11, 2024, the Kursk Regional Court found Andrey Yermolenkov guilty and sentenced him to 6 years in a strict regime penal colony with a 1-year restriction of liberty. The verdict was not appealed and entered into legal force.