Zabirko Nikolay Nikolaevich

In Mariupol, in the occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine, on August 20, 2022, an unknown person planted an explosive device at the entrance to the Mariupol Zoo. A bomb went off as the car of Konstantin Ivashchenko, the mayor of the city appointed by the occupation administration, was passing by the zoo. Sam Ivashchenko was not injured. Nikolai Zaborko, a 55-year-old local resident, was detained on charges of attempting to assassinate Ivashchenko." "He was accused of attempted terrorist attack and illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, mailing or carrying of explosives or explosive devices. According to the Russian investigation, from 3 to 26 July 2022, Zabirko, on the instructions of the SBU, was surveilling Konstantin Ivashchenko, who was then the head of the Mariupol administration, to plant explosives in his car and subsequently detonate it. He received a parcel from the SBU intelligence representative Zabyrko containing keys to a VAZ car and two music speakers, one of which contained a remote control for a homemade explosive device. Zabirko hid the parcel in his garage, after which he was detained by security forces. Earlier, in March 2022, Zabirko allegedly received a grenade as a gift from unidentified servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which he transported to his place of residence and began to store." "8 August 2024, the Southern Military District Court found Nikolai Zaborko guilty and sentenced him to 5 years and 6 months in prison to be served in a strict regime penal colony. February 4, 2025, the Appellate Military Court left the sentence unchanged.