Russia-Backed Court Sentences Georgian Medic to 15 Years in Absentia
The court in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk has sentenced Nino Kakhniashvili, a 28-year-old Georgian national, to 15 years in a penal colony in absentia, accusing her of fighting for Ukraine as a “mercenary.” Kakhniashvili has dismissed charges, saying her role in Ukraine was limited to providing medical assistance.
According to a statement by the Donetsk de facto prosecutor’s office, Kakhniashvili arrived in Ukraine in April 2022 and voluntarily joined the Georgian National Legion, a military volunteer formation. The statement claims she underwent combat training and took part in military operations against Russian forces until September 2022.
The prosecutors further claimed that she later left for Georgia after learning that the Ukrainian command had decided to “actively deploy Georgian fighters on the front lines during a counteroffensive.” The statement also alleged that she returned to the combat zone in spring 2023 and remained there until June 2025, during which time she received more than two million rubles in equivalent “for her mercenary activities.”
Kakhniashvili was found guilty under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Russian Criminal Code, which criminalizes participation in an armed conflict as a mercenary. The de facto court sentenced her in absentia to serve the term in a general-regime correctional colony.
Russian authorities charged and placed Kakhniashvili on an international wanted list on December 15. Responding to the accusations, she denied any involvement in combat.
“I confirm that I was present in so-called hot spots, however, my activities were entirely limited to performing medical duties,” Kakhniashvili wrote on Facebook on December 18, noting that she provided medical assistance to military personnel, regardless of citizenship, as well as to civilians.
Describing the charges as unfounded, Kakhniashvili said her actions “at no stage exceeded the framework of a doctor’s professional duties, ethical norms, and international medical protocols.”
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