A Russian court sentenced Gela Eradze, a Georgian fighting against Russia in the ongoing war in Ukraine, to 14 years in prison in absentia, according to Russian media citing the Investigative Committee.

"The Main Investigative Department of the Russian Investigative Committee collected evidence confirming the participation of Georgian citizen Gela Eradze as a mercenary in an armed conflict. By the court’s decision, he was found guilty in absentia of committing a crime under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (mercenary activities). The court sentenced Eradze in absentia to 14 years of imprisonment in a strict regime colony," the statement reads.

According to the agency, the investigation established that in early 2022, Eradze voluntarily joined a Ukrainian armed formation as a mercenary, underwent military training, and acquired skills in handling combat weapons necessary for participation in an armed conflict. The Russian Investigative Committee claims that "Eradze, in exchange for material compensation," participated in military operations against representatives of the security forces of the so-called "Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics" and Russian military personnel.