Brest University Military Department Instructor Convicted To Extended Prison Term For 'Treason'

Previously, the lieutenant colonel served in the 38th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade.

An instructor at the military department of Brest State University was sentenced to a long prison term for “treason to the state.” His trial took place last November. However, it became possible to confirm his identity only now.

Dzmitry Pazniakou is 42 years old. He probably comes from the Brest region, since he worked there most of his life.

As far as is known, the man was once a soldier in the 38th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade. At least, such data is in the Cyber Partisans’ database for 2008.

Subsequently, Dzmitry worked as a military commissar at the Brest military commandant's office, and also taught at the military faculty of BSU. There is even a textbook that he co-wrote in 2020.

It is likely that in recent years he taught at the military faculty of Brest State University. There, last year he co-authored a textbook and a scientific article.

According to information from contact books, Dzmitry has the rank of lieutenant colonel.

When the war with Ukraine began, the man’s name appeared on Ukrainian resources in the lists of Brest paratroopers.

It was proposed to convince him not to attack Ukraine; they even laid out telephone numbers and other contact information of the supposed paratroopers (some of them had not served in the unit for a long time).

The date of Pazdniakov’s arrest is unknown. Dzmitry was convicted on November 20, 2023 by the Brest Regional Court.

He was charged with Part 2 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code — “Treason to the state committed by an official.”

The article provides for a penalty of 10 to 20 years in prison. It is unknown what punishment the paratrooper received.

On January 16, 2024, an appeal was filed in the Pazdniakou case. The verdict came into force.