Two Nizhny Novgorod residents were sentenced to 23 years for sabotage and treason.

      On April 2, 2026, at 13:16, incidents occurred in the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court, which issued a verdict against Maxim Nureyev and Alexander Esipov. They were found guilty of treason, sabotage, and a number of other crimes. The men acted on assignments received in the spring of 2024 through correspondence with representatives of Ukrainian special services. For a reward, they set fire to three towers of cellular communication base stations.

      In addition, the defendants were preparing to destroy locomotives and freight cars, but they did not manage to implement their plans — they were detained by the FSB of Russia in the Nizhny Novgorod region. They filmed all the arsons on video to confirm the completion of the assignments. The money obtained in the form of virtual assets was then legalized through a cryptocurrency exchange and spent on personal needs.

      It was also established that for one of the acts of sabotage, they attempted to recruit another young man — offering him a reward and providing instructions. However, he refused to participate.

      In court, the defendants acknowledged the factual circumstances but denied their guilt. They stated that they acted out of selfish motives and did not intend to harm the country's security. The verdict was issued on March 31, 2026. For the totality of crimes, each was sentenced to 23 years of imprisonment. The first five years will be spent in prison, and the remaining term in a strict regime correctional colony. After their release, they will also be subject to two years of restriction of freedom.

      The court satisfied the civil claim — more than 460,000 rubles were jointly recovered from the convicted as compensation for damages. Until the verdict enters into legal force, the preventive measure of detention remains unchanged. The court's decision has not yet entered into legal force.

      Earlier, it was reported that two Nizhny Novgorod teenagers received 6 and 8 years in a colony for a terrorist act on the railway. Other teenagers were sentenced to 6 years for a terrorist act on assignment from Telegram.

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