Kathrine Frich
The charges against the pair include illegal handling of explosives, smuggling and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Victoria Shinkaruk, a former official from the Belgorod region administration, has been charged with attempting to aid Ukrainian operatives in carrying out terrorist activities within Russia.
Planning Terrorist Attack
According to law enforcement officials and Lenta, Shinkaruk and her accomplice, Alexander Kholodkov, were involved in transporting explosive materials to hidden caches and transferring around 500,000 rubles (approximately $5,000) to fund a planned attack.
In September 2022, Shinkaruk reportedly withdrew over 100,000 rubles for the purpose of committing a crime and subsequently placed the funds in a secret location. Kholodkov, meanwhile, is alleged to have transferred more than 400,000 rubles and moved explosive devices to concealed spots.
The investigation suggests that these funds were intended to support unspecified members of a criminal group planning a terrorist attack. Shinkaruk and Kholodkov reportedly communicated with their Ukrainian contacts using encrypted messaging services like Signal and Telegram.
Denied all Allegations
The charges against the pair include illegal handling of explosives, smuggling of strategically important goods and resources by an organized group, participation in a terrorist community, and conspiracy to commit terrorism. The case is now under review by the Second Western Military Court.
Shinkaruk has denied the allegations, claiming that she transferred the money at her husband’s request and had no intention of participating in a terrorist act. Kholodkov has also pleaded not guilty. He has been in custody since November 28, 2022.
This case follows other recent incidents where individuals in Russia have been accused of collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence services.
For instance, an individual in Omsk was arrested for providing information on a defense plant to Ukrainian operatives, and a man near Bryansk was sentenced to 18 years for filming a military recruitment office under the direction of a pro-Ukrainian terrorist group.