The Central District Military Court in Yekaterinburg sentenced 19-year-old Vadim Tomilov** from Irbit, Sverdlovsk region, to seven years in a high-security colony on charges of attempting state treason and participating in a «terrorist organization» for attempting to join the RDK, reported a «Mediazona» correspondent*** from the courtroom.
The first three years he will spend in prison, the remaining term in a high-security colony. He was also given 1 year of restricted freedom.
Tomilov was detained in a Yekaterinburg hostel in May 2024, a month after his 18th birthday. His parents reported the young man's disappearance, informing the police of their son's plans to leave Russia. At one of the hearings, the father said that during the search for the runaway son, he forwarded to the authorities his message with a link to a video of the «Russian Volunteer Corps».
According to the investigation, from December 2, 2023, to May 9, 2024, the accused, «sharing the ideology of Nazism and opposing the Russian government in general and the conduct of the SVO in particular», joined the «Russian Volunteer Corps», recognized as a terrorist organization in the Russian Federation. Tomilov contacted the organization through a telegram bot, was asked questions, and then sent an introductory questionnaire.
The young man was supposed to travel to Tbilisi for a face-to-face meeting with an RDK representative, from where, if his candidacy was approved, he would proceed to Ukraine. The young man took a loan of 44,000 rubles from the bank to cover travel expenses.
On May 9, 2024, the accused arrived from Irbit at Yekaterinburg's Koltsovo airport, where he bought a ticket to Tbilisi departing on May 11. However, he was detained in a hostel after his parents reported his disappearance. The hostel address was provided by the parents, who managed to contact their son. They also forwarded to a police officer the correspondence with him, which formed the basis of the criminal case. Later in court, they said they «unconsciously» forwarded the message with the video link to the police officer.
Tomilov immediately gave a confession, but later stated that it was extracted under torture. As the young man recounted, he was beaten in the stomach, threatened with electric torture, and that his parents would be beaten if he refused to cooperate. As a result, he wrote a confession — according to him, this was «strongly recommended» by FSB officers.
In court, Tomilov explained his desire to join the RDK as a «youthful protest» and insisted that he had abandoned this idea even before his arrest, which is why he gave his parents the hostel address and agreed to return home.
Tomilov's lawyer also pointed out that a psychological and psychiatric examination revealed the defendant's «immaturity» and his tendency to make spontaneous decisions.
* Recognized as a «foreign agent» in Russia.
** Included in the list of «terrorists and extremists».
*** Recognized as a «foreign agent» in Russia.