Detention: In July 2023, when Yulia Sokolova was 17, Russian security forces detained her in the occupied Kherson region. According to her grandmother, she was repeatedly taken for questioning. Initially, she was under house arrest.

On January 7, 2024, Yulia Sokolova was detained again and taken into custody. Her family did not know her whereabouts for over a month. On February 14, 2024, she was transferred to pre-trial detention centre No. 2 in Simferopol. Later, Yulia was moved to a detention facility in Chongar in the occupied Kherson region.

Sentence: In April 2025, the occupation Kherson Regional Court sentenced Yulia Sokolova to 9 years in a general regime colony. She was found guilty under Articles 275 of the Russian Criminal Code — 'state treason' and 276 — 'espionage'. The exact date of the verdict was initially undisclosed; the date of April 13, 2025, was confirmed by later reports on the case.

According to the Russian prosecution, Yulia allegedly photographed objects used by the Russian Armed Forces and other agencies with her mobile phone and transmitted the information to a 'client' via messengers and email. These claims originate from the Russian side and cannot be considered independently verified facts.

In 2026, an appeal was reviewed by the occupation court, which upheld the sentence. This was reported on August 1, 2026.

Yulia Olehivna Sokolova was born on June 11, 2006. She is a Ukrainian citizen from the Kherson region. Later, Russian authorities granted her Russian citizenship. At the time of her first detention in 2023, Yulia was only 17 years old.

Information about her education, family, professional activities, and other life circumstances before detention is very limited in reliable open sources. Therefore, these details are not supplemented with unverified information.

After her first detention in July 2023, Yulia was reportedly taken for questioning multiple times, according to her family. Despite being under house arrest, Russian security forces continued to conduct interrogations. On January 7, 2024, she was detained again. Her relatives had no information about her whereabouts for over a month.

On February 14, 2024, Yulia was transferred to pre-trial detention centre No. 2 in Simferopol. Approximately ten months later, she was moved to a prison in Chongar in the occupied Kherson region. According to her family, her health deteriorated during her unlawful detention, with her vision significantly declining to about -4.

In April 2025, news of her sentence emerged. At that time, Yulia was 18 years old. The human rights project 'Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial' highlights a particular circumstance of the case: Yulia was a minor at the time of her detention. She was 17 at the time of arrest.

Human rights defenders also question the reliability of the circumstances on which the charges are based. The Kharkiv Human Rights Group notes that it concerns a girl who was a minor at the time of detention and who, according to available information, openly demonstrated pro-Ukrainian views. Human rights defenders emphasize the risk that confessions may have been obtained under pressure after prolonged isolation from the outside world.

After the verdict, Yulia Sokolova was transferred to the Russian Federation. It is known that her place of detention is penal colony No. 5 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Saratov region. In August 2026, this location was also confirmed by current addresses for correspondence.

As of September 11, 2026, Yulia Sokolova remains in unlawful detention in Russia. Her sentence was upheld after an appeal review.

Information used from open sources: ZMINA, Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Crimean Tatar Resource Center.

Photo: ZMINA.

Update date: 09/11/2026.