The District Court of Helsinki decided to imprison the co-founder of the subversive-assault intelligence group "Rusych", neo-Nazi Jan Petrovskyi. He is suspected of committing war crimes in Ukraine and will be sent to Vantaa prison.
This is reported by Helsingin Sanomat.
By May 31, 2024, charges should be brought against Petrovskyi.
- In Ukraine, Jan Petrovskyi is accused of participating in terrorist crimes in the ranks of "Rusych" in 2014-2015 in Donetsk region and Luhansk region. Petrovskyi, together with the neo-Nazi Oleksiy Milchakov, is a co-founder of the “Rusych” group and was the groupʼs commander when Milchakov was wounded. Petrovskyi in Ukraine faces 8 to 15 years in prison.
- In Finland, at Ukraineʼs request for extradition, Petrovskyi was detained in August 2023. It happened at the Helsinki airport when he was about to fly to Nice. Later it became known that he entered Finland under the name of Voyislav Torden. Thanks to his wifeʼs education in this country, he obtained a residence permit. At the same time, Petrovskyi is under EU and US sanctions, but they are imposed on his real name.
- The Supreme Court of Finland, which considered the extradition case of Petrovskyi, decided to release him on December 8. Ukraine was refused extradition. In making its decision, the court referred to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Supreme Court believes that Petrovskyi may be at risk of torture in Ukrainian prisons. The article states that "no one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment." However, after his release, Petrovskyi was taken into custody again to find out the conditions of his stay in the country.