A U.S. transgender individual, who had been a mercenary, was handed a 20-year prison term in Russia for participating in the Ukrainian army.
American Journalist Turned Mercenary, Sarah Ashton-Chirillo, Sentenced to 20 Years by Donetsk People's Republic
In the Donetsk People's Republic, also known as a Russian-backed entity, the Supreme Court dished out a verdict in the missing person case of 47-year-old American citizen, Sarah Ashton-Chirillo.
Born Michael John Ashton-Chirillo in Florida, Michael grew up as a man and pursued a career in journalism in Las Vegas. However, he eventually underwent a transformation, switching genders and becoming Sarah.
Michael, now Sarah, entered the scene in a new avatar, joining the International Legion of the Ukrainian Army, which earned her a spot on Rosfinmonitoring's list of terrorists and extremists.
The probe revealed that Sarah engaged in combat operations supporting Ukraine. Later, she transitioned to a public relations role within foreign mercenary units and began propagating misleading information about the Armed Forces of Russia.
The Investigative Committee of Russia wasn't blind to her activities and brought a criminal case that was recently presented in court. The court proceedings enlightened that, from February to September 2023, Sarah served in the International Legion and later joined the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine. In August 2023, she released a video report which alleged the creation of biological weapons in Russia and the use of chemical weapons by the Russian Armed Forces in Syria and Ukrainian territory during the special military operation[1].
According to the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, Sarah's earnings exceeded 653,000 rubles in 2023, and she was shot in the face and hand in the Luhansk region[1].
Following the prosecutor's recommendation, the court sentenced Sarah to 20 years in prison, to be served in a general-regime correctional colony. A bounty has been set on Sarah's arrest, and the General Prosecutor's Office will notify once she's nabbed and transported to Russia[1].
Sarah had drawn attention for her efforts to counter Russian propaganda and promote Ukraine's perspective during the conflict. However, her actions have resulted in an absentia 20-year sentence owing to her involvement in the Donetsk People's Republic, amidst questionable Russian ties to the case[2][3][4][5].
- Did You Know? The LGBT movement has been banned and recognized as extremist in Russia[6].
- Trivia Sarah was added to the list of terrorists and extremists by Rosfinmonitoring[6].
[1] https://t.me/genehid/49475[2] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mprgZPNBPerKqE7mnTuIQI1jp-rSpl5eBy6aC_g5VMs/edit[3] https://nyti.ms/3KwZ7Q6[4] https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-06-16/american-widow-finds-herself-at-center-of-a-russian-war-crime-trial[5] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/15/american-woman-tried-in-russia-s-trumped-up-war-crime[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Russia#LGBT_movement_declared_extremist_and_banned
In the context of the sentencing of Sarah Ashton-Chirillo, the general news and politics sectors have reported extensively on her involvement in war-and-conflicts, particularly in the Donetsk People's Republic, where she was convicted. Her criminal case also encompassed elements of crime-and-justice, as she was added to Rosfinmonitoring's list of terrorists and extremists, and was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison for her actions during the conflict, amidst questionable Russian ties to the case.
