Two women suspected of plotting a terrorist attack in southern Russia’s Rostov region have been sentenced to nine and fifteen years behind bars, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.
The court convicted a third suspect in a related case to three years in prison in July. Viktoria Semyonova pleaded guilty to charges of planning a terrorist attack, saying “I was influenced by other people who convinced me of the need to fight the infidels.”
On Monday, a military court in Rostov sentenced Tatyana Karpenko to 14 and a half years and Natalya Grishina to nine years, according to Interfax.
The three women were detained in January 2016 for planning to carry out an attack at a Rostov-on-Don mall. Karpenko and Grishina were suspected of persuading Semyonova to commit the attack.
A man was detained alongside the three convicted women with 800 grams of explosive material discovered at their residence.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.