31-year-old Vlado Stanich, a citizen of Serbia, was sentenced to one year in prison for participating in the war in Ukraine in 2015. He fought on the side of Russia.
This was reported by the Serbian service of Radio Liberty.
In March 2015, Stanych voluntarily joined the pro-Russian forces in the east of Ukraine as part of the Hussar Regiment armed formation. In the city of Snizhne, Donetsk region, he stood at a checkpoint in the form of "D/LPR".
On July 15, 2022, Stanich was arrested at Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade. Later, he confessed to the crime.
Stanych received the minimum prison term prescribed for a similar crime. Also, the time spent in custody was added to his sentence. The mercenaryʼs foreign passport was confiscated and he was released in the courtroom — he will serve his sentence later.
Vlado Stanich told reporters that he hoped for a suspended sentence, but he respects the state and the judicial system. He assured that he does not regret the crime committed.
"I am a Serbian volunteer. It is a great honor and pride for me to defend my Russian brothers. Even if they gave me a hundred years in prison, I would not regret it," said the occupying mercenary.
The defendantʼs lawyer plans to file an appeal.
- Amendments to the Criminal Code of Serbia from 2014 for the participation of Serbian citizens in foreign hostilities provide for punishment in the form of deprivation of liberty from six months to five years. But if a person takes part in an armed conflict abroad as part of a group, he faces imprisonment for a term of one to eight years. Organizing participation in a war or armed conflict on the territory of a foreign state is punishable by imprisonment for a term of two to ten years.