27-year-old resident of Orsk Alexey Grigoryev*, sentenced in February to 20 years in a colony for «preparing for a terrorist act», wrote an appeal to Putin requesting the termination of Russian citizenship and an exchange with Ukraine, it was published by the publication Sotavision**.
In the appeal, Grigoryev wrote that he is an opponent of «the special military operation you are conducting in Ukraine», stated that he is ethnically Ukrainian, has relatives living in Ukraine, and did not vote for Putin. Therefore, he believes it is right to grant him prisoner of war status and include him in the exchange lists with Ukraine or «expel him beyond the borders of the Russian Federation».
«I do not intend to serve a sentence for something I did not do, and I do not wish to be held hostage in my own home — Russia, and I never intend to return here! Please exchange me or deport me. I do not want to be here!» — Grigoryev concludes his letter.
Alexey Grigoryev — an employee of the pawnshop «Pioneer» in Orsk. According to the investigation, he collaborated with the Ukrainian project «I Want to Live», planned to join the Legion «Freedom of Russia»*** and attempted to set fire to a relay cabinet near Novotroitsk in the Orenburg region. He was detained in May 2023, Grigoryev claimed torture during interrogation in the Orenburg pre-trial detention center. According to the defendant, before the interrogation, he was punched in the head, a bag was put over his head, an electric shocker was used, and an army field telephone was used, with wires applied to his left arm and left leg, and current passed through them.
In June 2023, Grigoryev was added to the list of «terrorists and extremists» by Rosfinmonitoring. In February 2025, a judge of the Central District Military Court in Yekaterinburg sentenced the man to 20 years of imprisonment, 5 years of which he will spend in prison, and the remainder of the term — in a strict regime colony. In addition to «preparing for a terrorist act», he was charged with articles on «preparing for treason» and «participation in the activities of a terrorist» organization.
* Included in the list of «terrorists and extremists».
** Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».
*** Recognized in Russia as a «terrorist» organization.