Weightlifting champion jailed in Russia for alleged plotting of sabotage and assassinations

Yulia Lemeshchenko, a Ukrainian weightlifting champion, was sentenced in Moscow to 19 years after being accused by Russian authorities of plotting sabotage and assassinations; she did not deny the charges and said she acted against Russian military aggression.

Yulia Lemeshchenko, a 42-year-old weightlifter who won Ukraine's championship in 2021, was tried in Moscow and this month received a 19-year prison sentence. Russian prosecutors accused her of carrying out sabotage and preparing targeted killings on behalf of Ukrainian security services. She spoke in court without denying the charges and said she had decided to fight against Russian military aggression. Russian authorities released footage and materials they said linked her to the alleged acts, and observers note concerns about evidence obtained in detention in Russia. Key facts: - Russian officials say Lemeshchenko carried out attacks on infrastructure near St Petersburg and travelled to Voronezh to target a Russian military officer. - She was sentenced to 19 years in prison after courtroom proceedings in Moscow during which she made statements affirming she acted against Russian military aggression. - Russian security services released a recorded confession and items they said were seized from her home, while critics and rights groups warn that evidence gathered in Russian detention is often contested. Summary: The verdict is a serious outcome in a case that intersects the war, security services and contested legal practice. Questions remain about the evidence and the circumstances of detention. Undetermined at this time.