Couple Sentenced to 15 and 10.5 Years for Power Line Sabotage
A young couple was sentenced to 15 and 10.5 years for the sabotage case — for destroying a power line tower at the request of telephone fraudsters. On August 12, the Ivanovo Regional Court sentenced 25-year-old Artem Tarasov to 15 years of deprivation of liberty and his 23-year-old wife, Alena, to 10.5 years.
Consensus
- The Ivanovo Regional Court sentenced Artem Tarasov to 15 years and Alena Tarasova to 10.5 years on August 12.
- The defendants were convicted of sabotage and aiding sabotage related to the destruction of an electricity transmission tower.
- The damage caused amounted to 330,000 rubles.
- Tarasov purchased equipment for cutting metal in May 2025.
- The court stated that Tarasov damaged one tower but failed to destroy three others due to circumstances beyond his control.
- The prosecution claimed that the couple acted after receiving instructions from unknown individuals via mobile phone.
- One of the scammers allegedly pretended to be an FSB officer and used threats of false criminal prosecution to exert psychological pressure.
- The defense argued that the couple was deceived.
Points of divergence
- The court found that the couple's actions were carried out at the request of phone scammers acting on behalf of Ukraine's highest political and military leadership. — tg_sotavisionmedia
- The court specified that Tarasov was found guilty of damaging a fuel and energy complex object and three attempted sabotage incidents. — mediazona
Coverage (2 sources)
- Young couple sentenced to 15 and 10.5 years for sabotage case — for destruction of power line tower at request of phone scammers — SOTAvision
- Husband and wife from Ivanovo region given 15 and 10.5 years in prison for destruction of power line support structure at instruction of telephone fraudster — Медиазона