Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed sentenced by Russia in absentia

A Russian court delivered an in absentia verdict on Wednesday in the case of Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine, sentencing him to 14.5 years in prison for his involvement in combat actions on the side of Ukraine.

Trevor Reed, a former soldier in the American army, was judged in Russia with the verdict issued in absentia due to his absence from the courtroom.

According to a report by the Reuters agency on Wednesday, the 14.5-year prison sentence is a penalty for the U.S. citizen siding with Ukraine. Trevor Reed is fighting in the Ukrainian army.

This marks the second time Reed, a former U.S. Marine, has been sentenced by Russian judges. In 2020, he was accused of attacking police officers who were attempting to take him to a sobering-up facility.

Trevor Reed initially received a sentence of 9 years in prison. The United States ambassador issued a statement, assessing that the charges and evidence presented during the trial were so unconvincing that "even the judge laughed."

After two years, the U.S. citizen was released from a Russian prison. He was exchanged for a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was convicted in the United States for cocaine smuggling.

In July 2023, the American administration announced that Trevor Reed was actively participating in combat operations in Ukraine and had sustained serious injuries after stepping on a mine.

The former Kremlin prisoner was then transported to a hospital in Germany. He is again in the spotlight due to the verdict issued in absentia by a Russian court.

The judges concluded that fighting in the Ukrainian army against Russians warrants a 14.5-year prison sentence. Additionally, the court decided to place Reed's name on an international wanted list.