A Ukrainian court has sentenced Russian citizen Olga Bykovskaya to five years in prison for violating the laws and customs of war after she was caught on an intercepted call encouraging her husband, a Russian soldier, to rape Ukrainian women, according to Russian newspaper Pravda.
The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv handed down the verdict on March 24, 2025, in a case that sparked global outrage. Bykovskaya, who remains at large, was convicted in absentia and placed on an international wanted list.
In April 2022, Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) released an audio recording of a chilling conversation between Bykovskaya and her husband, Russian paratrooper Roman Bykovsky, who was actively involved in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The woman was heard granting her husband permission to commit sexual violence against Ukrainian women—provided he “uses protection.”
Investigators from Radio Liberty identified the couple, tracing them to Feodosia, occupied Crimea. Ukrainian authorities charged Bykovskaya in December 2022, leading to her eventual conviction.
Bykovskaya has also been ordered to reimburse the Ukrainian state over UAH 15,000 (about $362) for forensic and legal expenses related to the case. The verdict will take effect if no appeal is filed within the designated period.
Despite the evidence, both Bykovskys denied involvement. Olga deleted her social media accounts and cut off communication after being confronted by journalists. Her husband, Roman, insisted the voice on the SSU recording wasn’t his—despite forensic confirmation.
