Two St. Petersburg Men Sentenced for Plot to Poison Food for 'Espanyola' Brigade

A Russian court has sentenced two young men from St. Petersburg, Nikita Krasilnikov (22) and Rinat Ilyin (20), to 16 and 15 years in prison, respectively, for plotting to poison food supplies intended for fighters of the 'Espanyola' Russian paramilitary brigade. The prosecution alleged that the defendants, along with a third accomplice, Artyom Shcherbakov, were recruited by the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) and paid by Ukraine to carry out the attack. They were charged with participation in a terrorist organization, attempted terrorism, and treason. The court ordered them to serve the first four years in prison before transfer to a strict-regime penal colony. During the trial, Krasilnikov and Ilyin admitted to the factual circumstances but claimed ignorance of the RVC connection and alleged they were tortured by law enforcement during initial interrogations. Shcherbakov, who pleaded guilty and testified against the others, received a separate 15-year sentence. The case highlights internal conflicts among Russian nationalist groups, as the RVC and Espanyola fight on opposite sides of the conflict. Espanyola had previously announced its disbandment in late 2025.