Kyivstar engineer Serhiy Arefiev sentenced to 11.5 years in Russia for espionage

Verdict on espionage charges

Russian occupation authorities have sentenced Serhiy Arefiev, a communications engineer at Kyivstar, to 11.5 years in a strict-regime penal colony. The man was charged with “espionage”. He is currently held in a pre-trial detention centre in Simferopol.

Circumstances of the abduction

According to available data, Russian military forces abducted Arefiev in Kherson on 23 March 2022. For over a year afterwards, the occupiers concealed information about his whereabouts. It was only later revealed that the captive was being held in Simferopol. Thus, Serhiy Arefiev has been in Russian captivity for over 4.5 years.

Family’s position

Serhiy’s wife, Polina, notes that individuals like her husband are not included in exchange lists. She also reports that Arefiev has a young son with a disability.

This information is contained in a report dedicated to Ukrainians illegally held in captivity by Russia.