Russia upholds 15-year espionage sentence for Romanian who allegedly fed air-defense data to Ukraine

Conviction becomes final

The Krasnodar Regional Court's guilty verdict against Cherciu (also identified by the FSB as Chercio D.A.) entered into force on Friday after the appeal was dismissed. He was convicted under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code (espionage) and sentenced to 15 years in a maximum-security penal colony. The FSB announced the finalisation of the judgment, noting the verdict had been delivered in March 2026.

“The guilty verdict of the Krasnodar Regional Court against Romanian citizen Chercio D.A., born in 2002, for intelligence activities for Ukrainian special services has entered into force.”

What the FSB alleges

Russian security services claim that in August 2024 the Romanian, while in the Krasnodar territory, collected and transmitted to Ukrainian intelligence details about the location of air-defense systems stationed in Sochi. In return, a Ukrainian handler allegedly promised to help him leave Russia safely and join an armed Ukrainian formation fighting Russian forces. The FSB also released a video of the arrest and stated the suspect confessed, though independent confirmation of the plea is unavailable. The agency warned that Ukrainian special services continue to recruit foreign citizens and anyone agreeing to assist will be identified and prosecuted.

“In exchange for assistance in obtaining information of interest to the enemy, the Ukrainian intermediary promised the Romanian citizen assistance in safely leaving Russia and joining a Ukrainian armed group banned in Russia, in order to take part in military operations against our country.”

Route to prison

Cherciu's path to a Russian penal colony began long before the verdict. He was first detained on 10 December 2024 not inside Russia but in the breakaway region of Abkhazia, where he had entered on a tourist visa. Abkhazian security services expelled him and declared him persona non grata, after which Russian authorities picked him up and transferred him to Sochi. FSB announced a re-arrest in April 2025, and on 5 March 2026 a court in Krasnodar handed down the 15-year sentence at first instance. Friday's appeal ruling makes the punishment definitive.

Romania's consular battle

Bucharest first took up the case in December 2024. The Foreign Ministry said it repeatedly asked Russian authorities to grant consular access and permission for the detainee to correspond with his family, but Moscow has not given its consent. In a statement, the ministry confirmed the conviction became final on 19 June but stressed it had not yet received official notification from the Russian side.

“The conviction of the Romanian citizen to 15 years of imprisonment became definitive on 19 June 2026, after the appeal was rejected. This information has not yet been officially notified by the Russian authorities.”

The ministry added it is in permanent contact with the family and will continue efforts under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.