Zakopets Yuriy Mikhaylovich (Zakolets Yuriy Mikhaylovich)

On May 22, 2022, in the Luhansk region near Kamyshevakha, 26-year-old Ukrainian citizen Yuriy Zakopets, commander of the 1st mechanized platoon of the 5th mechanized company of the 2nd mechanized battalion of the 24th separate mechanized brigade, military unit A-0998, was captured by Russian military personnel. Subsequently, he was accused of kidnapping a person committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, with threats of violence dangerous to life, and with the use of weapons. According to the Russian investigation, in October 2021, Zakopets, being near the checkpoint 'Pervomaisk-Zolotoye', together with two subordinates, kidnapped a representative of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), Andrey Kosyak." 2. Threatening him with an assault rifle, he demanded that Kosyak proceed to the territory controlled by Ukraine. After being refused, Zakolets fired several shots over the man's head. After that, the military personnel tied up the SMM employee and took him to the pre-trial detention center in the city of Starobelsk, where he was held for more than 140 days. No later than June 5, 2023, the Stakhanovsky City Court of the Luhansk People's Republic found Yuri Zakol'ts guilty and sentenced him to 8 years of imprisonment to be served in a strict regime colony. There is no information about appealing the verdict.