Media: US citizen faces over 20 years in Russian prison for terrorism, mercenary activity

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has announced that a court sentenced 29-year-old US citizen Robert Manuel Martinez Wertman to 23 years in prison for his involvement in terrorism and mercenary activity. 

The court found sufficient evidence, provided by the Russian Investigative Committee, to convict Wertman. He was found guilty of carrying out a terrorist attack in the Kursk region and engaging in mercenary activity, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

Wertman, who was not present in court, has been placed on an international wanted list. Should he be apprehended, Wertman will serve the first five years of his sentence in prison, followed by the remainder in a high-security penal colony.

The investigation and court proceedings have established that Wertman participated directly in an armed conflict as a mercenary in exchange for financial compensation.

In September 2024, Wertman, armed with combat weapons, illegally crossed into Russian territory as part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. With the intent to cause significant property damage and destabilise the activities of the state organisations, Wertman committed crimes against the civilians.

"At the request of the investigator, Wertman was sentenced in absentia to detention and placed on an international wanted list. Additionally, the court decided to confiscate funds totaling over 1.6 million roubles ($18,390), which Wertman received as a mercenary," the Investigative Committee added.

By Naila Huseynova