A campaigner for Russia's so-called referendum was detained in Kherson

SBU officers detained a woman in Kherson who is suspected of collaboration and spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda during the Russian occupation of part of the Kherson region.

According to the SBU press service, the investigation established that the suspect is an unemployed resident of the village of Antonivka near Kherson. During the occupation, she urged local residents to participate in an illegal pseudo-referendum and support the so-called annexation of the Kherson region into Russia.

In addition, the woman publicly supported the occupation regime, praised Russian military personnel, and disseminated pro-Kremlin narratives.

After the liberation of the right-bank part of the Kherson region, the suspect moved to Kherson as an internally displaced person and attempted to evade responsibility. According to the SBU, she settled in a rented apartment and led a low-profile lifestyle, rarely appearing in public places.

Law enforcement officers documented her activities, located her, and detained her. During searches, investigators seized a smartphone from the woman, which, according to the investigation, was used to disseminate materials supporting the aggressor country.

SBU investigators informed the detainee that she is suspected of violating Part 5 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (collaboration) and Part 3 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (justification and denial of the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine, and glorification of its participants).

If found guilty, the woman faces up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Recently, the Kherson City Court found 75-year-old Kherson residentTetyana Kamenska— an Honored Journalist of Ukraine and owner of the “VTB Plus” television channel—guilty in absentia of collaboration. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison with confiscation of all her property.

Earlier, the court handed downa third verdictagainst the former head of the occupation administration, Volodymyr Saldo, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for exporting approximately 3,000 metric tons of Ukrainian grain worth nearly 15 million hryvnias.

Андрій Колісніченко