Yaroshenko to Stay in US Jail's Isolation Cell for at Least 3 Months - Spouse

ROSTOV-ON-DON (Sputnik) - Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko will be held in a solitary confinement in US prison for at least three months, and could later be transferred to another penitentiary, Yaroshenko's spouse Viktoria told Sputnik Wednesday.

"According to Konstantin, he is going to be transferred to another prison… It could take from three to six months. All this time, he will be held in an isolation cell," Viktoria said.

Yaroshenko was placed in a solitary confinement earlier this month after he was hit by his cellmate.

READ MORE: Yaroshenko's Wife Claims Russian Pilot Fears for His Life in US Prison

The Russian pilot was given 20 years in prison in 2011 on allegations of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Yaroshenko was captured in Liberia in 2010 and handed over to the United States, prompting protests from Russia. In April 2016, the Appeals Court of New York refused to revise the pilot's sentence.

In early April 2018, the Russian embassy in the United States voiced concerns over the reports about the humiliation of Yaroshenko in US prison, calling on the jail administration to stop violation of fundamental rights of the Russian citizen.

READ MORE: Russian Diplomats Visit Yaroshenko in US Prison Following Ungrounded Searches