OREANDA-NEWS. Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov, whom the Montenegrin authorities suspect of working for the GRU, received the longest terms - 15 and 12 years in prison. In the hall they were absent. 

In Montenegro, the court sentenced those involved in the attempted coup d'etat in the country in 2016. This is reported by Montenegrin portal RTCG (Radio and Television of Montenegro). Two Russian citizens, Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov, received the heaviest punishment - 15 and 12 years in prison, respectively. A total of 12 defendants in the case were found guilty. Among the convicts are the leaders of the Montenegrin opposition "Democratic Front" Andriy Mandich and Milan Knezhevich. They were sentenced to five years in prison. All defendants found guilty of creating a criminal organization and terrorism.

“Each member of the criminal organization had a specific task and role, and in its activities the criminal organization was ready to use violence and intimidation. At the same time, all responsible persons were aware of their actions, they wanted to commit them, knowing that their actions were illegal, ”the court verdict says.

The sentence to Russians has been passed in absentia. Podgorica believes that during the parliamentary elections on October 16, 2016 a coup d'etat was planned. Prosecutor Milivoia Katnich stated at the beginning of November that the criminal group, in which there were “nationalists from Russia”, was planning to kill Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. “A criminal group was formed on the territory of Montenegro, Serbia and Russia, and its purpose was to commit a terrorist act,” the prosecutor then said. In 2014, he was deputy military attache in Poland, but was expelled from the country because of spying for Russia and declared persona non grata.