12 years and 530 grams. Russian court’s treason verdict in occupied Crimea separates mother from premature baby requiring lung surgery
In August 2025, a Russian court in Sevastopol sentenced 42-year-old Viktoria Strilets and her 24-year-old daughter, Alexandra, to 12 years in prison on charges of high treason. The case is classified, and little is known about its details. According to available records, the women allegedly sent photographs of Russian military installations to a Telegram channel linked to Ukraine’s military intelligence agency. The independent outlet Mediazona, drawing on letters shared by the family, has reconstructed the women’s story. Alexandra is the mother of two, including a premature infant who was in intensive care during the trial. Despite the baby’s reliance on a ventilator, the court denied a request to defer Alexandra’s sentence until the girl reaches the age of 14, citing no grounds for such leniency. Meduza summarizes the key points from Mediazona’s report.
