Russia sentences Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant driver to 25 years on grotesque ‘international terrorism’ charges

Russia’s Southern District Military Court has sentenced 41-year-old Vadym Trachuk to 25 years’ imprisonment on ‘terrorism’ and ‘international terrorism’ charges.  The Enerhodar resident, who worked as a driver for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s transport division, was accused of an attempt on the life of Russian-installed occupation head, Andriy Shevchyk, back in 2022. The latter, and two others, received moderate injuries as a result.   Trachuk is one of an ever-mounting number of employees from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant [ZNPP] abducted by the Russians since they gained control of the plant, and then illegally ‘tried’ under Russian legislation.

While impossible to independently verify any of the claims made in this particular case, there are a suspicious number of elements which seem to be copy-pasted virtually verbatim from other such ‘trials’.  Critical parts of the indictment are also extremely vague.  It is claimed that Trachuk “no later than March 2022 decided to become an active participant in a terrorist organization created by officers of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry’s Military Intelligence”.  He is supposed to have communicated via the Internet “with an unidentified officer of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence”, agreed to join “a terrorist organization” [‘TO’] and take part in it by carrying out instructions. The equally unidentified “heads of the ‘TO’” are supposed to have instructed him to carry out surveillance of the targets, to receive explosive devices, substances, etc., “from other ‘TO’ members”; to store these; to prepare homemade explosive devices and pass these to other ‘TO’ members, as well as to carry out explosions. 

All of these anonymous individuals are claimed to have, “not later than May 2022”, devised a purportedly ‘terrorist’ plan, namely, to eliminate the Russian-installed ‘head of the military administration” of occupied Enerhodar, Andriy Shevchyk.  Trachuk is supposed to have taken an active role in the explosion which injured Shevchyk as well as two individuals, described as “citizens of the Russian Federation”.   

Trachuk was also accused of having planned an attack on the presumably Russian-installed ZPNN personnel director in April 2023, which was when he was seized by the Russian FSB. 

All of these essentially conveyor belt ‘trials’ and sentences are a travesty, with Russia directly prohibited by international law from applying its legislation on occupied territory or to Ukrainians illegally abducted from occupied parts of Ukraine.  Russia is clearly aware of this as it began applying, almost en masse, the fairly new, and previously unused, Article 361 of the Russian criminal code, namely ‘an act of international terrorism’.  This is described as “an explosion, act of arson or other actions, committed outside Russia and jeopardizing the life, health, freedom or inviolability of Russian citizens “for the purpose of violating the peaceful co-existence of states and peoples, or aimed against the interests” of Russia.”

Having invaded Ukraine’s sovereign territory, Russia is claiming that any resistance that it meets constitutes ‘terrorism’ and that attacks on entirely legitimate targets, taking part in Russia’s aggression, are ‘international terrorism’. 

As well as the charge under Article 361 § 1, Trachuk was also accused of ‘acts of terrorism’, under Article 205 § 4; ‘organization of or involvement in a terrorist organization’ (Article 205.4 § 2), ‘undergoing training in terrorist activities’ (Article 205.3; as well as of ‘unlawful possession, etc. of weapons, explosive devices, etc’ (Article 222.1, and of preparing explosives Article 223.1 § 3.

It is extremely likely that Vadym Trachuk, like the vast majority of civilians abducted from occupied territory, was submitted to torture by the FSB.  This is aimed at first extracting ‘confessions’ and then blocking their victims from retracting them, not least by preventing them from having an independent lawyer.  

It is likely, given the sheer number of court hearings since the ‘case’ was passed to Russia’s notorious Southern District Military Court in Rostov on 5 June 2024, that Tradchuk rejected some or all of the charges.  The Memorial Support for Political Prisoners Project reported on 18 December 2024 that Trachuk was represented by lawyer Mikhail Tryachko, however it is unclear whether the latter is state-appointed, or the lawyer whom Trachuk chose.  At least with respect to Ukrainian political prisoners, this makes a huge difference. 

There is an ominous moment in the Memorial report which may mean that Trachuk is still being subjected to illegal forms of duress.  At the hearing on 30 October 2024, it transpired that Trachuk had not been brought to the court in Rostov, but was to take part by video link from SIZO No. 2 [a notorious remand prison] in Taganrog.  Memorial notes that no information was provided as to why Trachuk had been moved from SIZO No. 1 in Rostov.  This is of immense concern as SIZO No 2 in Taganrog was, at that stage, known for particularly savage torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian political prisoners.  It was there, on 19 September 2024, that Victoria Roshchyna, the 27-year-old journalist abducted from occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast, died, almost certainly as a result of torture.

Presiding ‘judge’ Oleg Aleksandrovich Cherepov asked Trachuk if he objected to continuing by video link.  He replied: “As you say, your honour, after all nothing depends on me”.

Tryachko intervened, saying that perhaps Trachuk had not understood the question as Russia’s criminal legislation does envisage the defendant’s presence in court.  The ‘judge’ once again asked, with Trachuk supposedly confirming that he did not object to taking part by video link. 

The above may look good on the court protocol, but entirely ignores the fact that Trachuk was, almost certainly, in a room together with prison guards and would have understood what the consequences would be of objecting. 

This, as well as the sheer illegality and lack of substance to the charges, would have been entirely clear to both the Russian prosecutor who demanded a 28-year sentence and to ‘judge’ Oleg Aleksandrovich Cherepov who, on 3 June 2025, found Vadym Trachuk guilty of all the charges and sentenced him to 25 years’ maximum-security [‘harsh-regime’] imprisonment.  He ordered the first five years to be in a prison, with the harshest of conditions and restrictions, and then a prison colony. He also imposed a massive 700 thousand rouble fine. 

The sentence can still be challenged, however the Vlasikha military court of appeal has as bad a record as the Southern District Military Court for rubberstamping horrific politically motivated sentences.