Ukrainian ex-soldier gets 18 years in Crimea

A Ukrainian former military serviceman has been sentenced to 18 years in a maximum-security prison by a Russian-controlled court in occupied Crimea. The charges, described as 'surreal' by Ukrainian media, are for treason and espionage. The sentencing is part of a broader pattern of politically motivated prosecutions by Russian authorities against Ukrainians in occupied territories. The case highlights the ongoing legal persecution and suppression of dissent in Crimea since its annexation in 2014.