A Prague court acquitted Russian Alexander Franchetti, who was called an accomplice in the annexation of Crimea

The Prague Municipal Court acquitted Russian Alexander Franchetti, who was accused of creating an organized criminal group and forcibly detaining 11 citizens during the annexation of Crimea in 2014. This was reported to České noviny by prosecutor Marek Bodlak.

According to him, the court decided to release the citizen of the Russian Federation from custody due to lack of evidence, but the prosecution has already filed a protest against the acquittal. The appeal will be considered by the Supreme Court.

Franchetti's lawyer Lenka Shramkova confirmed to RIA Novosti that all charges against the Russian were dropped.

Franchetti, who has lived in the Czech Republic since 2000 and works as a fitness trainer, was detained at the Prague airport at the request of Ukraine in September 2021. According to the indictment, in February 2014, the Russian traveled to Crimea and formed the North Wind paramilitary group. She allegedly obeyed the Russian Navy, transmitting information about the deployment of the Ukrainian military and controlling power lines and a gas pipeline on the peninsula. The indictment also referred to the forcible detention of at least 11 pro-Ukrainian individuals in the Chernorechensky canyon.

Franchetti denied all accusations, stating that he arrived in Crimea when the annexation had already begun and was patrolling the forest with other civilians to protect residents around Sevastopol. According to him, he wanted to save his family and property because of the danger of war. Representatives of the authorities of the annexed region called Franchetti "a well-known hero of the" Crimean spring "".

In February 2022, the Prague court allowed the extradition of Franchetti to Ukraine, but canceled this decision after the outbreak of the war.