Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its strong protest against the unlawful decision of the Moscow City Court to sentence Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko to 12 years in a maximum security prison on the fabricated charges of "spying".

The court’s disregard of the facts of provocations against Roman Sushchenko as well as gross falsifications of the case, which were proven by defense, is yet another demonstration of the lack of justice in the Russian Federation.

Cynical dismissal by Russia of the fundamental human rights reflects the necessity to strengthen international pressure upon Moscow in order to stop its aggression, repressions and infringements of Ukrainian citizens.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine demands that the Russian side immediately abolishes this groundless judgment, releases Roman Sushchenko and provides for his unobstructed return back to Ukraine.

We call on the world community, international human rights organizations to take all possible measures to expedite the release and return to Ukraine of Roman Sushchenko and other Ukrainian citizens, who have become hostages of the Kremlin regime in Russia’s ongoing aggression against our country.