MOSCOW, December 28 (RAPSI, Nikita Shiryayev) – The Supreme Court of Russia on Thursday upheld a 1.5-year prison sentence given to retired Russian military intelligence colonel Vladimir Kvachkov, who is currently serving a term for attempted instigation of an armed riot, for inciting hatred and enmity, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom.

The court dismissed an appeal filed by defense seeking to acquit Kvachkov.

A criminal case over pushing for terrorist activities or justifying terrorism was opened against Kvachkov in March 2016.

According to case papers, Kvachkov, who is serving his sentence in a Mordovia’s prison, made a video appeal via his cellphone in 2015. Investigators believe that other inmates sent the video “to email of persons at large.” These people later posted it on the Internet.

Experts found that the video contained linguistic and psychological elements of inciting the public to violent coup and acts of violence against Russian authorities, press service of the prosecutor’s office of Republic of Mordovia reported earlier.

Kvachkov, who was acquitted of charges in the attempted murder of former UES CEO Anatoly Chubais in 2005, was found guilty on February 8, 2013, of organizing an armed coup and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Later, the Supreme Court mitigated the sentence to eight years in a high security prison.

Kvachkov is thought to have masterminded plans to oust the government with a small group of followers. Kvachkov has denied all charges but during the trial defended “the right of Russian citizens to hold an uprising."

A career military officer, Kvachkov commanded a Special Forces unit in Afghanistan in 1983. In 1984, after sustaining a head injury, he was awarded the prestigious Order of the Red Star and later received the Order of Courage.