Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence reports that in the first six months of 2025, Russian courts handed down 224 convictions in cases of state treason, espionage, and confidential cooperation with foreign states. This is a record number in modern Russian history and reflects the authorities' growing paranoia and suspicion toward their own citizens. 

Scale and nature of repression in Russia

These cases involved 232 individuals, all of whom received real prison terms. On average, Russian courts issued almost two convictions per day (1.98) over 117 working days in the first half of the year. The majority — 177 people (76%) — were convicted under the treason statute, compared to 68% in 2024.

For context, 167 people were sentenced in all of 2023, and 143 in the first half of 2024. Since the start of the all-out war against Ukraine, 774 people have already been convicted under these statutes.

Repression and secrecy of court proceedings

Russian courts maintain a high level of secrecy: about 60% of defendants are marked as “information hidden.”

These statistics do not include data from the occupied territories of Ukraine. Analysts predict that by the end of 2025, the number of convictions for treason and espionage will exceed 500, while convictions in terrorism cases will approach 1,500.

Impact on collaborators and society

Mass repression and the secrecy of court proceedings also increasingly undermine the trust of collaborators in temporarily occupied territories.

Many lose confidence in safety guarantees and risk becoming victims of repression even when formally cooperating with the occupation authorities. The growth in convictions within Russia intensifies fear and mistrust, making the authoritarian system even more rigid and closed.