Kulish Irina Aleksandrovna (Kulish Irina Oleksandrivna)

In the occupied Zaporizhzhia region on September 23, 2022—on the first day of the "referendum" on joining the occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia—a 53-year-old local resident, Ukrainian citizen Iryna Kulish, was detained. The investigation claims that Kulish arrived at the polling station on a bicycle with explosives, but the terrorist attack was prevented by Russian security forces, detaining the woman. Kulish was accused of preparing a terrorist attack, participating in a terrorist community, illegally acquiring and storing an explosive device, as well as illegally storing narcotic substances without intent to sell." She was placed in a pre-trial detention center. On July 29, 2024, the Southern District Military Court found Irina Kulik guilty and sentenced her to 7 years in a general regime penal colony and a fine of 15 thousand. rubles. November 14, 2024, the Appellate Military Court increased the sentence to 9 years in a general regime colony and a fine of 300 thousand. rubles. Also in November 2025, a second criminal case was opened against Kulish. Unknown under which article: the censor blacked out the article number in her letter. At the end of November 2025, it became known that another criminal case was opened against Irina Kulish - for espionage. The details of the charges are unknown.