Novosibirsk court sentences warrant officer to 7 years in prison in case of confidential cooperation with foreign state

The 2nd Eastern District Military Court sentenced warrant officer Viktor Pokusin to seven years in a general regime penal colony in a case of confidential cooperation with a foreign state. The court's press service told Mediazona about this.

As stated in the press service's statement, Pokusin was also stripped of his rank of "reserve ensign." The verdict was announced on August 13 — according to information on the court's website, the case was heard at the 2nd VOVS branch in Novosibirsk.

It is unknown what became the reason for the criminal prosecution of Pokusin under this article and when the case was opened. The materials were received for consideration by the court on July 11.

Previously, the full namesake of the defendant in the case was tried twice in the Novosibirsk Garrison Military Court. In April 2023, he was given a suspended sentence of one year in a case of unauthorized abandonment of the unit. As stated in the court ruling , the man did not show up for duty at his military unit on September 26, 2022, shortly after the announcement of "partial mobilization", and was found and detained four days later.

In September, the same court sentenced him to six years in a general regime penal colony, finding him guilty of desertion during mobilization. The decision on the case states that Pokusin did not show up for duty on June 14, 2023, and left for another region; he was detained five days later.

In court, the man explained that after the first criminal case, he continued to serve, but was paid less for it. Since he had debts on loans and the need to compensate for damage due to an accident with his car, he "did not see a future" associated with the service. When passing sentence, the court took into account that the man has a child, as well as the fact that Pokusin himself was raised in an orphanage from the age of four, and in a foster family from the age of ten.

In the report on the sentence for desertion from the joint press service of the courts of the Novosibirsk region, Pokusin is called a warrant officer. The publication also says that he was hiding in the Altai region, lived at different addresses, changed phones and SIM cards.