A Russian woman was sentenced to jail after she asked her husband, who is in the Russian Army, to rape Ukrainian women during the war, reported a Russian newspaper.

This sentence comes against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war has been rife with atrocities – death and destruction, many war crimes, and so forth – and her actions have garnered significant media and humanitarian attention in the realm of human rights and breakdown of the rule of law in the area.

Conviction In Absentia

The newspaper references Radio Liberty in reporting that Olga Bykovskaya, a Russian citizen, was convicted in absentia of violating the laws and customs of war and sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv after urging her husband, a Russian soldier, to rape Ukrainian women.

Intercepted Audio Evidence

In April of 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) found and released audio of an intercepted conversation between a Russian soldier and his wife. The woman gave her husband permission to rape Ukrainian women as long as he “uses protection.”

Identification And Investigation

Journalists from the Ukrainian and Russian services of Radio Liberty recognized the couple as Olga and Roman Bykovsky and that they live in Feodosia, occupied Crimea. The Russian citizen was presented with a notice of suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war and placed on the international wanted list.

Court Proceedings And Charges

In December 2022, Ukrainian law enforcement officials completed the investigation and charged Olga Bykovskaya (Pinyasova) in court.