Russia: Ukrainian filmmaker sentenced to 20 years for terrorism

Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Russian military court in Rostov-on-Don, Tuesday, for alleged 'terrorist attacks' in Crimea shortly after the peninsula's reunification with Russia. Sentsov and fellow national Alexander Kolchenko were charged for staging small blasts using home-made explosive devices in the Crimean city of Simferopol between April and May 2014. The blasts targeted a monument of Vladimir Lenin and the 'Eternal Flame' monument dedicated to Soviet soldiers who died during the Second World War. The pair were also accused of setting fire to the offices of both the Russia United Party and the Community of Crimea organisation. Kolchenko was sentenced to 10 years behind bars, but both men deny the charges claiming they were "politically motivated." During the sentencing both men sang the Ukrainian national anthem in protest. Russian Oscar-winnning director Nikita Mikhalkov and Ukrainian filmmakers union chief Sergei Trymbach have both called for their release.