Published
RussiaA Swiss mercenary sentenced to 14 years in penitentiary
The 49 -year -old sniper who fought alongside the Ukrainians was tried in absentia. No one seems to know where he is.
Avi Motola, Swiss and Israeli binational, is from Schaffhouse.
Capture SRFThe official Russian news agency RIA Novosti reports this Friday that a Swiss was sentenced to 14 years in prison, to serve in a maximum security of security camp. This mercenary was found guilty by the Russian justice for having fought alongside the Ukrainian armed forces.
The court established that he “arrived in Ukraine in April 2022 and voluntarily joined the international Legion as a mercenary. Subsequently, until February 2025, he participated in military operations against the Russian armed forces, “he reported. But this conviction is in absentia. This Swiss was not present and no one seems to know where it is.
It is Avi Motola, Binational Swiss and Israeli, from Schaffhouse, now 49 years old.
Avi Motola had been talked about in early 2023, by delivering a testimony to the SRF from Ukraine. He said he was serving as a sniper in a unit of voluntary combatants, in territories occupied by the Russian army. “Many think that people like me come here to play war, to kill. But what interests me are the civilians I can save, ”pleaded the Swiss sniper.
The man is officially prosecuted in Switzerland, who prohibits his citizens from serving in a foreign army. Theoretically, he risks here up to three years in prison.
For many troubles with justice, the man had already spent a few years behind bars in Switzerland, recalls “Blick”, who notes, however, that no one knows where he is.
Anyway, condemned or not, he has known for a long time that he must not fall into Russian hands.
