Detention: In June 2022, FSB officers detained Ihor Kupich, a resident of Pionerske village in the Simferopol district. Russian security forces accused him of attempting to set fire to the so-called military commissariat building in Simferopol and preparing sabotage on the railway. After his detention, he was placed in a temporary detention facility and later taken into custody.

Sentence: On March 30, 2023, the Russia-controlled Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea sentenced Ihor Kupich to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 70,000 rubles. The first three years of his sentence were to be served in prison, with the remainder in a high-security penal colony. In August 2023, the appellate court upheld the sentence.

Ihor Kupich was born and lived in Crimea. At the time of his arrest, he was 39 years old. Russian security forces described him as an unemployed local resident. His name became known to the public after the FSB announced the alleged uncovering of a case involving an attempt to set fire to the military commissariat building in Simferopol and the preparation of an explosion on the railway.

According to the Russian investigation, on the night of May 28, 2022, an unknown person attempted to set fire to the military commissariat building on Selvinsky Street. The FSB claimed that Ihor Kupich made and used Molotov cocktails and allegedly planned to damage railway infrastructure. The occupation authorities presented this case as another instance of 'Ukrainian sabotage activity' in Crimea. Meanwhile, human rights defenders emphasized that such cases often involve numerous violations of procedural rights of the accused and the use of dubious evidence.

Following his arrest, a criminal case was initiated against Ihor Kupich under Russian law articles on sabotage and illegal handling of explosives. The investigation claimed his actions were motivated by disagreement with the so-called 'special military operation' against Ukraine. This circumstance became a key element of the accusation, as it effectively confirmed the political context of the case.

The trial took place under the conditions of Crimea's occupation and under the control of the Russian judicial system, which Ukraine and the international community recognize as illegal on the peninsula.

During the trial, the defense highlighted numerous violations. Ihor Kupich himself claimed that the evidence against him was fabricated. He stated that investigators took biological samples from him, which could later be used to create an evidence base. His lawyer insisted on additional examinations and verification of evidence, but these motions were rejected by the court.

The Crimean Human Rights Group concluded that Ihor Kupich's case bears signs of politically motivated persecution. Human rights defenders stressed that the occupation authorities use so-called 'sabotage' cases to create an image of a constant threat from Ukraine and justify further repression against the peninsula's population. Such cases often involve civil activists, journalists, veterans, pro-Ukrainian citizens, or simply people who openly do not support the occupation regime.

In the spring of 2026, it became known that Ihor Kupich was transferred to the Komi Republic in northern Russia. He was moved to correctional colony No. 25 in Syktyvkar. According to journalist and former political prisoner Vladyslav Yesypenko, this colony has a reputation as a so-called 'red' facility and is one of the centers for recruiting prisoners to participate in the war against Ukraine.

Information used from open sources: Suspilne Crimea, ZMINA.

Update date: 16.07.2026.