Activist Helping Ukrainian Refugees Receives 22-Year Sentence in Belgorod Court

A military tribunal in the Belgorod region of southwestern Russia has condemned Nadezhda Rossinskaya, an anti-war advocate who assisted Ukrainian refugees, to 22 years in prison on allegations of treason and terrorism, as reported by her attorney and local news outlets on Friday.

Rossinskaya, also known as Nadine Geisler, was taken into custody in February 2024 on suspicions of «encouraging actions against national security.» Subsequently, she faced charges of financing terrorism and treason.

Her volunteer organization, Armiya Krasotok (Army of Beauties), claims to have aided 25,000 individuals in the occupied territories of Ukraine from 2022 to 2023.

She reported fleeing to Georgia in May 2023, shortly after the arrest of a young woman who had contributed to her cause. It is believed that Rossinskaya returned to the Belgorod area, where she was detained on February 1, 2024, while attempting to help a Ukrainian dog owner and her 46 pedigree poodles escape Russia.

In October 2024, Russian authorities included Rossinskaya on their list of terrorists and extremists. Records indicate she was born in Kazakhstan in 1995.

On Thursday, prosecutors sought a sentence of 27 years for Rossinskaya, while her defense attorney reportedly asked for her acquittal.

Rossinskaya stated that she would request a sentence of 27 years and one day to establish a “new Russian record” if the court did not acquit her.

On Friday, the Second Western District Military Court sentenced her to 22 years in prison after finding her guilty on all counts.

Additionally, the court imposed a fine of 320,000 rubles (approximately $4,000) against Rossinskaya, as stated by her lawyer Alexei Pryanishnikov.