MOSCOW, July 19. /TASS/. Alexander Tsilyk, an agent of the Ukrainian defense ministry’s Main Directorate of Intelligence who was detained in Russia in 2021, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the Second Western District Military Court has told TASS.

"The court sentenced Tsilyk to 12 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 rubles. He will spend the first three years in prison, and the remaining part of his sentence - in a high-security penal colony. He admitted his guilt in part, and actively assisted in solving and investigating crimes," a court staffer said.

According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Tsilyk along with two Ukrainian military intelligence officers illegally crossed into the Russian territory to create arms caches and help smuggle explosive devices into the country. He was detained when he attempted to cross the Russian border once again. According to the court, Tsilyk used fake documents while passing the border control, insisting that the goal of his visit to Russia was to receive medical treatment.