A Russian court has sentenced Georgian citizen Zaza Shonia in absentia to 28 years in prison for participating in combat against Russian military personnel. He was charged with five counts, including mercenarism, illegal border crossing, arms smuggling, terrorism, and illegal arms trafficking.
According to investigators, Shonia fought for the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russia beginning in 2022. In August 2024, according to the verdict, he illegally crossed the Russian border with weapons and ammunition, ending up in the Kursk region, where he offered armed resistance to Russian troops. Convicted in absentia, Shonia has been placed on the international wanted list.
Previously, in March 2025, Russian human rights activists recognized seven foreigners serving in the Ukrainian army as political prisoners. According to the Geneva Convention, persons officially serving in the armed forces of a belligerent party are not considered mercenaries. The "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial" project emphasizes that all foreigners accused of mercenarism served under contract in official units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
