In a defiant courtroom statement that has captured international attention, a champion Ukrainian weightlifter has been sentenced to 19 years in a Russian prison, accused of plotting acts of sabotage and assassination.
From Champion Athlete to Accused Saboteur
Yulia Lemeshchenko, a 42-year-old powerlifter who won the Ukrainian national championship in 2021, was convicted this month by a Moscow court. Prosecutors alleged she had carried out operations on behalf of Ukrainian security services, including blowing up power lines near St Petersburg and surveilling a Russian air force commander in Voronezh with the intent to kill him.
Her sudden disappearance from her regular gym in Kharkiv in the autumn of 2023 had puzzled her coaches and fellow athletes. Months later, she reappeared in Russian custody, facing the severe charges.
During the proceedings, Lemeshchenko did not deny the accusations. In a short final word to the court, which was recorded and published by independent Russian news outlets, she made a striking declaration. "Maybe I am making my position worse with my words, but my honour and conscience are more important to me. I did what I considered necessary," she stated.
A Life Between Two Nations
Lemeshchenko's case is complex, rooted in the brutal conflict between Russia and Ukraine. She is a Russian citizen, born and raised in Voronezh—the very city where she was later arrested. She moved to Kharkiv with her family in 2014 and immersed herself in Ukrainian life, excelling in powerlifting.
Oleksandr Chernyshov, head of the Kharkiv branch of Ukraine’s powerlifting federation, described her as a driven and hardworking athlete who achieved significant results. After her 2021 championship win, she sought Ukrainian citizenship to compete internationally, a process interrupted by Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
She remained in Kharkiv, even purchasing an apartment there. Witnessing the severe bombardment of her district, Saltivka, and the death of friends, profoundly affected her. "I don’t think of myself as a cowardly or weak person, so I decided to fight against Russian military aggression," she told the court.
The Russian Allegations and a Community in Shock
Following the verdict, Russia’s FSB security agency released a statement claiming Lemeshchenko had volunteered via a Telegram chatbot in autumn 2023. They alleged she was subsequently recruited, trained in Kyiv in the use of weapons, drones, and explosives, and sent to Voronezh in August 2024 to target infrastructure and military personnel.
The FSB also published a video confession and footage of what they said were explosive materials found in her apartment. The Russian commander she allegedly targeted had been implicated in bombing Kharkiv.
Her former trainer, Dmytro Pavlenko, recalled a cryptic phone call from her months after she vanished, where she promised to explain everything later. "Nobody expected this – absolutely nobody. It was a shock for us all," Pavlenko said, initially suspecting a Russian set-up but now leaning towards believing the story could be true.
Chernyshov, however, expressed less surprise. "Could she have been capable of it? Absolutely. She was one of those people who are capable of big feats. She was very pro-Ukrainian, more than some Ukrainians are. And she was as strong as a rock," he stated, framing her decisions as a potential positive example for Ukrainians.
The case highlights the shadow war being waged on Russian soil, where several military figures have been assassinated. Lemeshchenko’s Russian passport would have been a significant asset for Ukrainian operatives, allowing her to bypass strict checks on Ukrainian citizens entering Russia.
Despite the allegations and her Russian citizenship, Lemeshchenko’s final words affirmed her loyalty to Ukraine. "I am not a citizen of the country for which I decided to fight, but nevertheless I consider Ukraine my home. I love the country, I love Kharkiv," she told the judge, before receiving one of the longest sentences yet in such a case.
