Ukrainian Champion Arrested in Russia – Accused of Sabotage

In Voronezh, Ukrainian powerlifting champion Yulia Lemeshenko has been arrested. The FSB accuses her of planning sabotage and attacks on Russian military personnel, but her family is not allowed to visit her in detention, reports NewsBox.

In Voronezh, 41-year-old Ukrainian athlete Yulia Lemeshenko was detained, allegedly for preparing terrorist acts and assaults against officers of the Russian army, according to FSB claims. Her arrest was part of a special operation announced by Russian authorities on February 7th, which revealed the exposure of a group of four women in different regions: Sevastopol, Voronezh, and Rostov-on-Don.

As reported by the Telegram channel "Free People of Voronezh", Lemeshenko holds a Russian passport. She was born in Stary Oskol but moved to Kharkiv in 2014. The investigation asserts that she was undertaking a mission for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, hoping to obtain Ukrainian citizenship.

Although news of her arrest emerged in January, details have only now come to light. Her family is not permitted to visit Lemeshenko in the detention center. On February 7th, the FSB released confessions from all detainees, including the athlete herself, although there are concerns that these statements might have been made under duress.