TL;DR
Get travel and outdoor gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
The Riga City Court sentenced Polina Kamleva, a resident of Rēzekne, to six years in prison for financing an armed conflict. Investigators said a €43 transfer was intended to help buy drone-jamming equipment for Russian forces; Kamleva denied having criminal intent, and prosecutors had sought eight years.
The Riga City Court sentenced Polina Kamleva, a resident of Rēzekne, to six years in prison for financing an armed conflict, according to Delfi, in a case centered on a €43 transfer investigators said was intended to help buy electronic-warfare equipment for Russian forces. Kamleva denied that she meant to finance the Russian army, saying the messages cited in the case did not establish criminal intent.
Investigators said the transfer was connected to a request for funds to buy a mobile electronic-warfare system capable of jamming drones. According to reporting by Delfi, cited by Meduza, Kamleva agreed in a WhatsApp exchange in December 2024 to help raise money for military equipment for the Russian army. The request, investigators said, came from an acquaintance associated with Russia’s Kaskad military-patriotic center.
Investigators said Kamleva then asked another acquaintance, who lives in Belarus, to send money on her behalf because transfers from Latvian banks to Russian banks were not possible. That acquaintance transferred 157 Belarusian rubles, about €43, from a personal account. The reported court sentence concerns Kamleva’s alleged role in arranging that payment; the source material does not say the equipment was ultimately purchased or delivered.
Latvia’s State Security Service detained Kamleva in December 2025. Delfi reported at the time that she was a member of the Latvian Russian Union Party and described her as a pro-Russian activist. Prosecutors sought an eight-year sentence, while the court imposed six years. Latvia’s criminal code provides for a prison term of up to 10 years for financing an armed conflict, according to the report.
A Small Transfer, a Serious Charge
The case shows how Latvian authorities and courts may treat even a relatively small payment when they conclude it was intended to support a foreign armed conflict. The amount at issue was 157 Belarusian rubles, or about €43, but the prosecution’s case, as reported, focused on the alleged purpose of the transfer rather than its size. The sentence is six years in prison, below the eight years prosecutors requested and within the reported statutory maximum of 10 years.
The ruling also puts the distinction between an act and the defendant’s intent at the center of the case. Kamleva acknowledged that what she did was wrong, but disputed that she had meant to finance Russian forces. That distinction matters to readers because the conviction was reported under an offense concerning financing an armed conflict, not simply making an international payment. The account available here does not provide the court’s full reasoning or explain how it assessed her explanation against the investigators’ evidence.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Investigators Traced the Payment
The reported events began with a WhatsApp conversation in December 2024. Investigators said a Russian acquaintance connected with the Kaskad military-patriotic center asked Kamleva to help raise funds for a mobile electronic-warfare system. They said she approached a contact in Belarus to make the transfer because Latvian bank transfers to Russian banks were not possible.
The State Security Service detained Kamleva in December 2025, about a year after the messages described by investigators. Delfi reported that she was a member of the Latvian Russian Union Party. The available report does not detail the complete evidence presented at trial, the court’s findings on each part of the alleged arrangement, or whether any other person was charged in connection with the payment.
“They said Kamleva agreed to help raise money for military equipment for the Russian army and arranged for an acquaintance in Belarus to transfer the funds.”
— Investigators, as cited by Delfi
Questions About Intent and Evidence
The report does not provide the court’s full written judgment, so the precise legal reasoning behind the conviction and six-year term is not available here. It is also unclear from the reported details what evidence beyond the WhatsApp messages and the transfer the court considered, or how it evaluated Kamleva’s claim that she lacked criminal intent.
The source material says investigators believed the payment was intended for drone-jamming equipment for Russian troops, but it does not establish whether the device was bought, where it was sent, or whether Russian forces received it. It also does not state whether Kamleva will appeal, whether the sentence is final, or whether additional proceedings are planned.
Appeal Status and Court Rationale
The next developments to watch are whether Kamleva appeals and whether the court publishes a fuller explanation of its findings. The available report does not say if an appeal has been filed or identify a deadline. Any appeal outcome could clarify how Latvian courts assess intent in cases involving alleged support for a foreign military effort.
Further reporting may also establish what evidence supported the court’s conclusion and whether the proposed electronic-warfare equipment was ever acquired or delivered. Until those details are available, the confirmed reported outcome is a six-year sentence, while the underlying purpose and Kamleva’s intent remain disputed in her account.
Key Questions
Who was sentenced by the Riga court?
The Riga City Court sentenced Polina Kamleva, a resident of Rēzekne, to six years in prison for financing an armed conflict, according to Delfi as reported by Meduza.
What was the €43 transfer for, according to investigators?
Investigators said it was intended to help buy a mobile electronic-warfare system for Russian forces, including equipment described as being used to jam drones. The report does not establish whether the equipment was ultimately purchased or delivered.
What did Kamleva say about her intent?
Kamleva said she had not intended to finance the Russian army and argued that the messages found on her phone did not clearly establish that purpose. She said she was unemployed and in serious psychological distress when asked to help.
How long did prosecutors seek, and what is the reported maximum sentence?
Prosecutors sought eight years in prison, and the court imposed six years. The report says Latvia’s criminal code allows a prison term of up to 10 years for financing an armed conflict.
Has Kamleva said whether she will appeal?
The available report does not say whether Kamleva plans to appeal or whether the sentence is final. The court’s full reasoning and any appeal developments remain unreported in the source material.
Source: rss
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day Picks
long weekend sales
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
