**Russian Court Sentences Crimean Resident to 15 Years for Alleged State Treason**
A Russian-controlled court in occupied Crimea has sentenced a 33-year-old local resident to 15 years in prison on charges of state treason. The man was accused of passing information about Russian military equipment and a construction project to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
The court, established by Russian occupation authorities, made the ruling on December 9. This is just one example of how Russia has cracked down on dissent since invading Ukraine in February 2022.
**Human Rights Concerns**
Russian courts have been accused of carrying out “campaigns of repression” against pro-Ukrainian individuals. These campaigns include fabricated charges, disappearances, and forced transfers to Russian prisons.
The European Court of Human Rights condemned Russia for systematic human rights violations in Crimea since its illegal annexation in 2014. Moscow’s censorship laws have effectively criminalized criticism of the war or narratives contradicting Russian propaganda.
**Ukraine Calls on NATO**
Meanwhile, Ukraine has invited NATO to join the country. President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would discuss this invitation with US President Joe Biden.
The European Union Commissioner for Defense and Space proposed allocating $105 billion for defense in the next seven-year EU budget. This move comes as Russia continues to spend at least $200 billion on its war with Ukraine since 2022.
**Russia’s War in Ukraine**
Russia has been accused of transferring Ukrainian prisoners of war who died in a plane crash over Russian territory to their families. The country has also lost hundreds of thousands of people, according to US President-elect Donald Trump.
Overnight on December 9, Russia launched two cruise missiles and 37 drones at Ukraine from the Black Sea.