According to the verdict, Oleksandr Vitko, being a citizen of the russian federation, holding the position of commander of the Black Sea Fleet in February-March 2014, acting intentionally, by prior conspiracy with representatives of the authorities and the armed forces of the russian federation, with the aim of changing the boundaries of the territory and state border of Ukraine in violation of the procedure established by the Constitution of Ukraine, being aware of the obvious criminality of his actions, with the motives of obstructing the European integration course of Ukraine’s development, deliberately violating the requirements of international law, by issuing orders, planned, prepared and organised the reception and dispersal of military units of the armed forces of the russian federation at the facilities of the Black Sea Fleet, which invaded the territory of the Crimean peninsula, provided camouflage for the russian Black Sea Fleet servicemen to wage an aggressive war against Ukraine, as well as planned and identified objects to be blocked and seized for the military occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. Thus, he committed, by prior conspiracy, planning and preparation of an aggressive war against Ukraine, which ensured the military occupation of the territory of the Crimean peninsula, which led to grave consequences in the form of violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and causing damage in the form of loss of state property worth more than UAH 1,080,352,000,000.

On 19 June 2024, the panel of judges of the Judicial Chamber for Criminal Cases of the Kyiv Court of Appeal considered the criminal proceedings on the appeal of the defence counsel acting in the interests of the accused Oleksandr Vitko against the verdict of the Dniprovskyi District Court of Kyiv of 10 May 2023. By this verdict, Oleksandr Vitko was found guilty as charged under part 3 Article 110; part 4 Article 27; part 1 Article 111; part 3 Article 27; Article 113; part 1 Article 28; part 2 Article 437; part 2 Article 28; part 2    Article 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Oleksandr Vitko was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for the aggregate of criminal offences, by way of absorption of a lesser sentence by a more severe one.

The term of Oleksandr Vitko’s sentence will be counted from the date of his detention in the course of execution of the sentence.

Oleksandr Vitko was found not guilty of the charges under part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (episode of subversive activity and related) and acquitted due to the lack of evidence that he committed the criminal offence.

The civil claim of the prosecutor in criminal proceedings in the interests of the state represented by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine against Oleksandr Vitko for compensation for damage caused by the commission of a criminal offence was satisfied.

UAH 1,080,352,000,000 (one trillion eighty billion three hundred and fifty-two million) was recovered from Oleksandr Vitko in favour of the state of Ukraine represented by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

As a result of the appeal hearing, the appeal filed by the defence counsel on behalf of the accused Oleksandr Vitko was dismissed.

The verdict of the Dniprovskyi District Court of Kyiv of 10 May 2023 was upheld.

 The Press Service of the Kyiv Court of Appeal informs