A former police officer in Odesa has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for justifying Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The Odesa regional prosecutor's office reported that the ex-law enforcement officer was found guilty of disseminating materials that justified and recognized the legitimacy of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014. The court imposed a sentence of 5 years in prison.

"Prosecutors demonstrated in court that the woman, serving as an investigator in one of Odesa's police departments, openly expressed dissatisfaction with the current government and supported the actions of the occupiers. Through her Instagram channel, which had over 7,000 followers, she spread materials that denied and justified Russia's armed aggression that started in 2014. To conceal her activities, she used special software to mask her IP address.

During the trial, the accused did not admit her guilt. She awaited the court's verdict in custody," the statement said.