Political Prisoners

Kolkova Olha

Detention: In November 2023, Olha Kolkova was detained by officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation in occupied Crimea, accused of allegedly collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence services and preparing sabotage activities on the peninsula. Sentence: On February 26, 2025, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Olha Kolkova to 15 years in prison on fabricated charges of 'state treason,' 'preparation for a terrorist act,' and 'training for terrorist activities.'

Kolomiiets Andrii

Arrest: On May 15, 2015, 22-year-old Andrii Kolomiiets, a native of Kyiv region and Euromaidan activist, was detained in the village of Yantarnoye, Prokhladnensky District, Kabardino-Balkaria. He had traveled there to meet his future wife Halyna, whom he met online in the video game 'Tanks'. During a search, 152 grams of 'wild cannabis' were 'found', and Andrii was forced to open the package himself. 'I realized that was it,' he recalls. At the 'E Center' (Department for Countering Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) in Nalchik, he was held for about a day and tortured with electric shocks: tied to a chair, clamps were attached to his fingers and toes, and current was passed through. 'They attached wires to my fingers and toes, and it shook for quite a while,' he said. They obtained his signature on blank A4 sheets. As soon as he was released, he was detained again and put in a taxi with...

Kolomiiets Svitlana

Detention: On April 23, 2026, officers of the Federal Security Service of Russia detained Svitlana Kolomiiets. Following her detention, she was placed in Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 1 in Simferopol, where she remains in custody. Sentence: As of July 19, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Svitlana Kolomiiets is held in Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. The Russian Federation accuses her under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“treason”). The maximum penalty under this article is up to 20 years of imprisonment. Human rights defenders consider the criminal prosecution politically motivated.

Kolyada Dmytro

Detention: August 2025, detained by Russian security forces. Sentence: As of July 19, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Dmytro Kolyada is held in pre-trial detention centre No. 2 in Simferopol (Akmesdzhit). There is no official information on the charges in open sources. Human rights defenders consider him a victim of politically motivated persecution.

Kopylo Ihor

Arrest: In 2023, Ihor Kopylo was detained by officers of the Russian Federation's FSB in occupied Sevastopol after receiving a parcel allegedly containing about 2 kilograms of plastic explosives, a military electric detonator, and an electric igniter. Sentence: On October 4, 2024, the Russian-controlled Sevastopol City Court sentenced Ihor Kopylo on charges of 'state treason' and illegal handling of explosives. He was sentenced to 14 years in a strict regime penal colony with an additional one-year restriction of freedom and a fine of 400,000 rubles.

Korchynskyi Ihor

Detention: In July 2023, Ihor Korchynskyi was detained by FSB officers of the Russian Federation in occupied Crimea. He was accused of allegedly preparing a terrorist act — an attempt on the life of the Kremlin-controlled 'head of the Republic of Crimea', Sergey Aksyonov. Sentence: On August 21, 2024, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Ihor Korchynskyi to 18 years of imprisonment, with the first 4 years to be served in prison. The remainder of the term is to be served in a high-security penal colony. He was also fined 350,000 rubles.

Kostiuk Oleksandr

Detention: On March 5, 2022, Oleksandr Kostiuk disappeared during a trip to the Sumy region. He traveled to the village of Dzerkalka in the Romny district to assist with civilian evacuations. His car was found abandoned on the road, with documents and personal belongings inside. Witnesses reported a Russian military convoy passing that day. Later, it became known that Russian military personnel took Kostiuk during the convoy's movement and transported him in an armored vehicle. He was held hostage, interrogated, and moved between various detention locations in the Russian Federation. Sentence: As of July 19, 2026, no sentence has been issued for Oleksandr Kostiuk. Open materials from human rights organizations contain no information about any official criminal charges, trial, or sentence against him. Kostiuk has been unlawfully detained by Russia for over four years without access to due legal process. In February 2026, it was reported that he is held in pre-trial detention centre No. 2 in Simferopol, incommunicado.

Kostygov Kyrylo

Detention: On July 14, 2025, Kyrylo Kostygov was detained by FSB officers at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport following a check of his mobile phone. Sentence: As of July 19, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Kyrylo Kostygov remains in custody at pre-trial detention centre No. 3 in Moscow. The Russian Federation accuses him under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('treason'), alleging he made money transfers to Ukrainian charitable organizations. Human rights defenders consider the criminal prosecution politically motivated.

Kotov Serhii

Detention: On April 7, 2022, Serhii Kotov was unlawfully abducted by Russian occupiers in the city of Oleshky, Kherson region. He was detained by FSB officers under the pretext of 'counteracting the conduct of a special military operation' and was later secretly transferred to occupied Crimea. Sentence: On September 27, 2023, the Russian-controlled so-called 'Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea' sentenced Serhii Kotov to 15 years in a strict regime penal colony on fabricated charges of 'espionage' (Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code). In February 2024, the illegal 'Third Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction' upheld this sentence.

Koveshnikova Yuliya

Detention: On April 4 (or April 8, according to other sources), 2023, in the temporarily occupied Melitopol, Russian security forces abducted 44-year-old local resident and volunteer Yuliya Koveshnikova when she left home to top up her account. Her whereabouts were concealed for 8 months: she was held without legal status in an earthen 'pit' near Melitopol, later in the Mariupol pre-trial detention centre, and then transferred to occupied Crimea. Sentence: On June 7, 2024, the so-called Zaporizhzhia Regional Court, with the participation of the 'Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Crimea' representing the state prosecution, sentenced Yuliya Koveshnikova to 13 years in a general regime correctional colony under Article 276 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code ('espionage'). The sentence took effect, and she was unlawfully transferred to the Samara region of Russia.

Kozlan Oleksandra

Detention: On January 8, 2025, Oleksandra Kozlan was detained by officers of the Federal Security Service of Russia. Following her detention, she was remanded in custody and placed in pre-trial detention centre No. 1 in Simferopol. Sentence: As of July 19, 2026, no sentence has been issued. Oleksandra Kozlan remains in custody at pre-trial detention centre No. 1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. The Russian Federation accuses her under Part 3 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“illegal handling of explosives”), Part 1 of Article 30, Part 3 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“preparation for a terrorist act”), and Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“treason”). Human rights defenders see signs of politically motivated persecution in the case.

Kozlia Dmytro

Detention: In July 2023, Crimean entrepreneur Dmytro Kozlia was detained by FSB officers of the Russian Federation in occupied Crimea. He was taken into custody and placed in a pre-trial detention centre as part of a criminal case on charges of alleged repeated 'discrediting of the Russian army' through anti-war posts and comments on the social network Facebook. Sentence: On October 19, 2023, the so-called Kyiv District Court of Simferopol sentenced Dmytro Kozlia to 1 year of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony under Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On December 5, 2023, the occupying Supreme Court of Crimea upheld this sentence. The Crimean fully served the unlawful sentence and, according to human rights defenders, was released on May 21, 2024.