Detention: 2024 (exact date not disclosed in open sources).

Sentence: On June 15, 2026, the Sevastopol City Court, under the control of the Russian Federation, sentenced Leonid Horetskyi to 17 years in a high-security penal colony, one year of restricted freedom, and a fine of 300,000 rubles. He was found guilty under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('treason') and Part 3 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('illegal actions with explosives'). As of July 17, 2026, the sentence had not yet entered into legal force, and an appeal is ongoing.

Leonid Volodymyrovych Horetskyi was born on July 24, 1975. He holds citizenship of Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Before his detention, he lived in Simferopol, on the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. There is no confirmed information in open sources about his education, professional activities, marital status, or public engagement.

According to the version of the occupation 'investigation,' Horetskyi, referred to as a 'citizen of the Russian Federation' in the publication, allegedly established contact with an officer of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR MOU). In January 2025, he was reportedly instructed to travel to occupied Sevastopol and retrieve over 1.4 kilograms of explosives and an explosive device with components from a cache in the Gagarinsky district.

During the pre-trial investigation, Leonid Horetskyi was held in custody. There is no confirmed information in open access about the conditions of his detention, health status, or possible violations of his rights during the investigation. Information about access to independent lawyers or the possibility of regular communication with family has also not been disclosed.

On June 15, 2026, the Russia-controlled Sevastopol City Court announced a guilty verdict. The court sentenced Leonid Horetskyi to 17 years in a high-security penal colony, one year of restricted freedom after release, and a fine. After the verdict, the case moved to the stage of appellate review. Information about the place of serving the sentence as of July 2026 is not available in open sources.

The case of Leonid Horetskyi is one of a series of criminal proceedings in which the Russian Federation accuses Ukrainian citizens of 'treason' and crimes related to explosives. Due to the closed nature of such proceedings, independent verification of evidence and adherence to fair trial standards is significantly complicated. Human rights defenders continue to monitor this case.

Information used from open sources: Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, ZMINA, Crimean Process, Human Rights Project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial.'

Photo: ZMINA.

Last updated: 17.07.2026.