Denis Lyalka

A resident of Kherson (Ukraine), a serviceman of the Ukrainian Armed Forced. On April 24, 2022, according to his own words, he arrived home and decided to stay there, to be a volunteer and engage in wholesale and supply of household chemicals and products. On August 6, (according to other sources - July 14) 2022, he was detained and beaten in his apartment, after which he was taken to the basement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs building, where he was electrocuted and beaten, demanding to provide contacts of Security Service of Ukraine and Ukrainian intelligence officers, as well as the location of weapons and caches. After the beatings, he was hung on the bars, then beaten again and hung again, and shot near him. Before the polygraph test, he was told that if he did not pass the test, he would die in the torture room. In his own words, he signed his confession under the threat of being shot. Lyalka also said that he and others prosecuted in the case were forced to leave fingerprints on weapons and explosive parts. On October 6, 2022, he was taken to Simferopol, to the border he was taken in a trunk together with another person prosecuted in the case, Konstantin Reznik, at the border they were transferred to a bus. Shortly before the removal Lyalka was forced to sign some sheets, the content of which was unknown to him. Lyalka was also beaten in the pre-trial detention centre in Simferopol. There he was charged with preparing to commit an act of international terrorism. Later he was taken to Moscow. Later he gave a confession for correspondents of "Russia 24". Lyalka was also accused of participating in the activities of a terrorist community. In court, he retracted his confession. On January 30, 2026, he was sentenced to 14 years in strict regime prison.