A Ukrainian woman has accused Russia's security services of torturing her husband to force him to admit to terror-related charges, the Dozhd news channel reported Tuesday.
Andrei Zahktyei confessed to planning terrorist attacks on the Crimean peninsula in a video released by Russia on Aug. 12. He also admitted to working for the Ukrainian security services, and claimed that he had scouted potential locations where bombs could be planted at Crimea’s Simferopol airport.
“I admit that I was working to find places to plant explosives and commit terrorist attacks,” he said in the clip.
Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported last week that Zakhtyei had only been charged with disorderly conduct, despite his confession of terrorism.
Kiev has confirmed that Zakhtyei is Ukrainian, but denied reports that he worked for state intelligence agencies. A member of Ukraine’s parliament later announced that Zakhtyei was a known low-level criminal with a number of past convictions, who had left Ukraine for Russia five years earlier to avoid creditors.
in an interview with independent Russian T.V. channel Dozhd, Zakhtyei’s wife Oksana maintained that her husband was innocent.
“Clients called and he took them where they needed to go, but terrorists… it’s not true,” she said, telling journalists Zakhtyei worked as a taxi driver and courier.
She "instantly knew" that her husband had been tortured after seeing his taped confession, she said. “His face was swollen, lips burst, his hands bruised” she added.
Oksana also claimed that she had been driven out of her apartment and was seen by neighbors as a "terrorist's accomplice." “A village is a small republic with its own laws. I talk to no one hear, I know no one. No one has visited me for a month,” she said.
Russia's Federal
Security Service announced on Aug. 11 that a "terrorist
plot" prepared by the Ukrainian military had been foiled in Crimea. The plot had allegedly been designed to disrupt the region's tourism industry by planting a series of explosions.
The allegations caused tensions between Russia and Ukraine to flare, with the Kremlin accusing Kiev of "choosing terrorism" and threatening to break political ties.
Kiev has denied all of
the allegations.
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.
Remind me later.
