In 2022, three OSCE SMM staff members — Ukrainian citizens Dmytro Shabanov, Maksym Petrov, and Vadym Golda — were detained in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and subsequently convicted of “treason” and “espionage.”
ULAG represents the interests of Dmytro’s and Maksym’s families. On September 19, 2022, the so-called Supreme Court of the LPR found them guilty of “treason” and sentenced each to 13 years of imprisonment under Article 335 of the so-called “Criminal Code of the LPR”.
In January 2025, the sentences of Shabanov and Petrov were brought into line with the criminal legislation of the Russian Federation, specifically with the provisions of Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“treason”). They were subsequently transferred to the territory of the Russian Federation to serve their sentences: Dmytro to Federal State Institution Penal Colony No. 9 of the Main Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (Omsk Oblast), and Maksym to Federal State Institution Penal Colony No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (Chelyabinsk Oblast).
National proceedings — pre-trial investigation under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
UN Human Rights Committee — a complaint was filed in the spring of 2025. On June 17, 2025, the case was registered with the Committee. The Committee is currently engaging with the State party, and the claimants.
Workshop for lawyers: trauma-informed legal practice when working with adult survivors of CRSV
On September 14, the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC) and ULAG held a joint workshop for lawyers working with adult survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Articles
The voices of Ukrainians must be heard
The letter was published in May 2026 on the website of our long-time partner ECCHR, in the Living Open Archive section. It is a collection of personal impressions and stories from ECCHR staff and partners about the projects they work on, the injustices and contexts they experience, and the world they envision. They share intimate reflections in letters to their colleagues, allies, and the world.
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Prisoners of War Tried as Terrorists: What Is Happening to Ukrainian Soldiers Captured in Russia’s Kursk Region
The number of Ukrainians captured by Russian forces in the Kursk region remains hidden by the fog of war and defenders may be considered missing in action for months before suddenly appearing in photographs posted on Telegram channels alongside other prisoners of war. Or, conversely, families may search those same channels every day for any trace of their loved one, only to one day receive the devastating news of their death.
