Investigators from Ukraine's SBU Security Service have sent their criminal case against Russian saboteur Viktor Ageyev to court.
"The investigation established that the Russian serviceman from March 2017 was a member of illegal armed formations and served as a machine gunner for an autonomous reconnaissance company. Two of his accomplices, residents of Alchevsk and Severodonetsk, from 2014 were members of the Dremov illegal armed formation and the so-called Cossack regiment named after Platov," the SBU said at a briefing on Monday.
In May 2017, as members of the saboteur group the men crossed into Ukrainian territory in Novoaidar district, Luhansk region. Two of the men were killed immediately, the SBU said.
Their actions fall under Part 1 of Article 258-3 (creating a terrorist group or organization) and Part 1 of Article 263 (illegal use of firearms, ammunition and explosives) of Ukraine's Criminal Code. The offenses are punishable with a jail term from 8 to 15 years.
As earlier reported, on June 24, 2017 near Zhelobok, Slavianoserbsky district, Luhansk region Ukrainian servicemen disarmed a saboteur group of militants. Four of them were detained. One of them Viktor Ageyev - was an acting Russian soldier serving under contract.
Russia's Defense Ministry said Ageyev served on active duty and in May 2016 was discharged into the military reserves. Ageyev said he was sent to eastern Ukraine after signing a contract to serve in Russia's armed forces: "I am a serviceman. Unit 65246, (based in Novocherkassk, a communications regiment and training center of Russia's air and space forces)."
On July 22, SBU chief Vasyl Hrytsak said Ageyev's actions corresponded with terrorism.
