Alexey Bessarabov

On 9 November 2016, Bessarabov was detained in Sevastopol. He was accused of preparing explosions in Crimea. The investigation declared him a member of the "subversive-terrorist group of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine". After Bessarabov had been detained, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said that he had nothing to do with the intelligence directorate and there were no sabotage groups in Crimea. Bessarabov was arrested.

For several days after his arrest, Bessabarov's relatives could not find him and an independent lawyer was not allowed to visit him. During this time, the Federal Security Service circulated a video of Bessarabov confessing. The Crimean human rights group claims that the testimony was given under pressure and the video is a staged interrogation. As of now, Bessabarov refuses to plead guilty.

In March 2018, the Crimean Prosecutor's Office approved an indictment against Bessarabov on charges of preparation for sabotage as part of an organised group and illegal acquisition and storage of weapons, ammunition and explosives committed by an organised group. In April, the court returned the case to the prosecutor for correction. In August, the case started in court again.

On 4 April 2019, Bessarabov was sentenced to 14 years in a strict-regime penal colony.