Russian court gives elderly Crimean activist 18 years in alleged assassination plot case
A Russian court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced 77-year-old Crimean activist Volodymyr Ananiev to 18 years in prison over an alleged plan to kill Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-installed governor of occupied Crimea. Ananiev was detained in Simferopol in February 2024; two other defendants in the case had already received 13- and 10-year sentences. The Crimean Tatar Resource Center says he is the oldest Crimean political prisoner and has serious health problems, and his wife called the case fabricated and said it would be appealed.
The Rostov-on-Don ruling also imposes a 600,000-ruble ($7,300) fine. Ananiev is to serve four years in prison and the rest in a maximum-security penal colony. He was detained in Simferopol in February 2024; co-defendants Volodymyr Bodnar and Oksana Shevchenko had already received 13- and 10-year terms.
Born in western Ukraine, Ananiev later settled in Crimea and worked in law and journalism, advocating for landowners and Crimean Tatars. The Crimean Tatar Resource Center reports eye surgery, high blood pressure, and mobility problems requiring a cane, and says he is the oldest Crimean political prisoner. His wife, Anna Sviatnenko, called the case fabricated and said an appeal is planned.
The sentence could deepen fear among Crimea’s activists, journalists, and Crimean Tatar community, especially older residents already facing politically motivated charges. It may discourage public advocacy and increase pressure on families coping with long separations and health concerns. For outside observers, the case may reinforce scrutiny of Russian courts in occupied Crimea and the treatment of elderly prisoners, though its immediate impact is likely most acute for those personally connected to the defendants and local rights networks.