The Kozeletsk District Court of Chernihiv Oblast convicted a software developer who voluntarily left a military unit, citing religious beliefs.
The Kozeletsk District Court of Chernihiv Oblast convicted a software developer who voluntarily left a military unit, citing religious beliefs.
The man is 40 years old, he is a software engineer at the Kyiv company «NPO «Impulse» — a developer of software for nuclear power. According to his manager, among all the candidates at the interview he stood out for his professionalism, became the main programmer of the team and made a significant contribution to the project. In parallel, he was engaged in volunteering — at the beginning of the full-scale invasion he helped with civilian money.
At the same time, he has been an ordained deacon of the Religious Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses since 2004. This is what caused the conflict with the state.
In February 2025, the AIT member was mobilized and sent to a training unit near the Desna River in the Chernihiv region. Three days later, he left — without permission from the command. According to him, wearing a uniform, weapons, and belonging to a military structure contradict his faith.
He didn’t hide: he immediately wrote statements to the CCC and the regional administration explaining his position, and in July he got a job as a programmer. He was detained a little over a month after leaving the unit without permission.
The court did not deny the sincerity of his faith, but noted that the law on alternative service applies only to military service in peacetime. Mobilization is a different legal regime, and refusing it for any reason — religious or otherwise — is a crime.
The court also reminded: this does not mean that a Jehovah’s Witness is obliged to keep a weapon in his hands. The Supreme Court previously indicated that during service, beliefs must be taken into account — a soldier can be involved in repairing equipment, logistics, evacuating the wounded. But he is obliged to report to the unit.
The court sentenced the man to 5 years in prison, with two months of pre-trial detention credited. The sentence can be appealed within 30 days.
