A female Russian official faces up to 25 years in jail over an £885 cash withdrawal ‘to assist Ukraine stage a wartime sabotage attack’.
Viktoria Shinkaruk, 28, is accused of acting as a Ukrainian agent by placing most of the cash in a litter bin – a ‘dead drop’ – at a supermarket ‘for use by terrorists’ working for Kyiv.
She denies the charge, saying she withdrew the cash at her husband’s request, earning a small commission for doing so, and had no knowledge of its intended purpose nor any intention to commit a terrorist crime.
Her spouse Evgeny Kisel, 35, had earlier escaped house arrest and fled to his relatives in Ukraine fearing a ten-year jail sentence on drugs charges.
Shinkaruk, who was seen handcuffed to a female police officer, is now facing trial by a Moscow military court and could be jailed for a quarter of a century if convicted under Russia‘s draconian new terrorism laws.
Former Russian official from Belgorod region Viktoria Shinkaruk, 28, faces up to 25 years in prison for ‘supporting terrorists’
Shinkaruk is seen in a courtroom following her arrest
She denies the charge, saying she withdrew the cash at her husband’s request
Shinkaruk is pictured at the 2nd Western District Military Court of Moscow
Shinkaruk’s ‘accomplice’ Alexander Kholodkov is pictured
‘Viktoria Shinkaruk took part in a terrorist community with the aim of carrying out a terrorist attack,’ said law enforcement sources, as reported by state news agency TASS.
She was a state inspector in the Belgorod region which borders Ukraine – until she was fired after her arrest.
Her co-accused Alexander Kholodkov allegedly withdrew a larger sum – more than £3,300 – at the request of her husband and dropped it in the same litter bin in Belgorod city.
He also ‘moved explosive devices to hiding places’, it is alleged.
The Russian authorities allege that the money was intended for unidentified members of a criminal group to carry out a terrorist bomb attack in the first months of the war.
‘They used the Signal and Telegram messenger apps to communicate with handlers from Ukraine,’ reported TASS.
‘Following their instructions, Kholodkov placed explosives and cash needed to carry out a terrorist attack in hiding places.’
However, prosecutors after two years of investigations have not been able to name the alleged saboteurs or the Ukrainian handlers, nor identify where the supposed terrorist attack was to take place.
Shinkaruk has been held in custody in the notorious Lefortovo pretrial detention centre for 22 months awaiting the start of her court case.
Her relatives say she was following instructions from her husband in moving the money – but no mercy is expected from the court.
A male relative said: ‘She would not have deliberately gone against Russia, I am sure.
‘She is a calm, level-headed person, not crazy.
‘I think her husband set her up with the transfer of the money. She simply believed his words.
‘They have been married for about six years. He is still her husband.’
Shinkaruk’s relatives say she was following instructions from her husband in moving the money – but no mercy is expected from the court
The Russian authorities allege that the money was intended for unidentified members of a criminal group to carry out a terrorist bomb attack
Viktoria pictured at the 2nd Western District Military Court of Moscow
Shinkaruk has been held in custody in the notorious Lefortovo pretrial detention centre for 22 months awaiting the start of her court case
Her relatives say she was following instructions from her husband in moving the money – but no mercy is expected from the court
A male friend said: ‘I don’t believe that she could do anything against the country.
‘She is a really smart girl, very attractive, during all the time we talked, I never heard her make any dubious statements. She loves our country.’
Another friend, Sergei, told Regnum news agency: ‘I think her husband brainwashed her that this money would supposedly help him avoid a criminal case.
‘She was a fool, and just wanted to help.
‘Now she can lose her youth, the opportunity to start a family [by being locked up in jail].’
The pair are accused of illegal trafficking in explosives, smuggling of strategically important goods and resources committed by an organised group, participation in a terrorist group, preparation for a terrorist act by a group of persons by prior conspiracy and preparation for the illegal manufacture of explosives.
Russia portrays sabotage attacks by Ukraine in Russia as terrorism, even though it was Moscow that started the war in February 2022.