MOSCOW, August 30 (RAPSI) - Defense attorneys for former Krymsk officials who were convicted of negligence during a regional flood in the summer of 2012 have appealed the sentence handed down to them as a result, Arthur Kolesnikov, attorney for Irina Ryabchenko, told RIA Novosti.

The Krasnodar Territory has been hit by a devastating flood on the night of July 7-8. At least 153 people died and another two were initially declared missing, but the court later declared them deceased as well. Floods are frequent in the Kuban region, but the Krymsk tragedy was unprecedented in terms of the flood’s damage and lives lost. Krasnodar governor Tkachev compared the event with an earthquake.

Investigators claimed that the convicts had not taken any measures to prevent or minimize damage from the disaster. Investigators also claim that some of them ordered the fabrication of documents which were supposed to create an image of their active work during the flood.

The former officials were sentenced on August 21. 

Vladimir Ulanovsky, former mayor of Krymsk, was sentenced to three and a half years in a penal colony by the Abinsky Regional Court. Ex-Krymsk district head Vasily Krutko was sentenced to six years in a penal colony. The former acting head of the district's emergency response department Victor Zhdanov was sentenced to four and a half years in a penal colony. The former chief of the Nizhnebakansk village Irina Ryabchenko was sentenced to three and a half years of probation. After the sentence was declared, all parties vowed to appeal.

Vitaly Katsko, attorney for Ulanovsky, told RIA Novosti that his client is still planning to appeal the sentence, but no formal measures have been taken yet.