Russian security forces detained Damian Omelyanenko, Artur Shashenok, and Aleksey Makarenko in November 2022. They were accused of organizing a series of explosions in Berdyansk, which killed the deputy head of the traffic police of the occupation administration, Aleksandr Kolesnikov, and the so-called commandant Artyom Bardin.

It is known that Artur Shashenok, along with Damian Omelyanenko, was held in the Pre-Trial Detention Centre in Taganrog, and at the end of 2024 was transferred to Mariupol.

The indictment in the criminal case was approved in April 2025. Artur Shashenok and Damian Omelyanenko were charged under Part 2 of Article 205.4 of the Russian Criminal Code (participation in a terrorist association), Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 (involving a person in the commission of crimes of a terrorist nature), and Part 3 of Article 361 (commission of an act of international terrorism).

According to the investigation, Artur Shashenok and Damian Omelyanenko surveilled the deputy chairman of the occupation administration of Berdyansk, Oleg Boyko, and his wife, a member of the local election commission, Lyudmila Boyko from 6 to 16 September 2022. After this, others (members of the "terrorist association" not identified by the investigation) shot the collaborator couple in one of Berdyansk's cooperative garages. The man and woman died of their wounds. Shashenok and Omelyanenko's involvement in the murder of the Boyko couple was announced at a court hearing in 2023. They were also named as participants in preparing an assassination attempt on the deputy head of the occupation administration of Berdyansk, Pavel Ishchuk, the commandant Artyom Bardin, and the head of the traffic police of the occupation administration, Aleksandr Kolesnikov. The Telegram channel "Berdyansk Partisan Army" immediately issued a statement that the detainees had no connection to their activities. In 2023, Artur Shashenok was added to the list of "terrorists and extremists" by Rosfinmonitoring. The first hearing in the case took place at the Southern District Military Court on 6 May 2025.

Not delivered

Memorial added Artur Shashenok to their list of persons subjected to criminal prosecution with high probability of political motivation and serious violation of the law, which does not mean recognition as a political prisoner.