A fake governor and a battalion of traitors: 12 residents of Odesa, Kherson and Crimea are on trial

Residents of Odesa, Crimea, Kherson and Donetsk regions were accused of collaborating with the occupiers and creating a unit that helped Russian troops. Now all the defendants, along with the organizer, will be tried for collaboration and treason.

This was reported by the press service of the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Law enforcement officers sent an indictment to the court against the head of the occupation administration and 11 members of the illegal formation created during the occupation.

According to the investigation, in the summer of 2023, the occupation "governor" organized the creation of a unit in Henichesk to help the Russian army. For this purpose, he even issued an order on its work and financing.

The unit consisted of people from the occupied territories of Crimea, Kherson and Donetsk regions, as well as former residents of Odesa. The investigation believes that all of them voluntarily joined this unit and acted on the side of the occupation authorities.

The organizer was notified of suspicion of collaboration and creation of an illegal armed group. One of the participants was accused of high treason, the others of collaborating with the enemy.

The press service noted that since all the defendants are in the temporarily occupied territories, the trial will be held in absentia.

Also in March, the court found Konstantin Kukshtel , a resident of Odesa, guilty of high treason and participation in an illegal armed group during the occupation of Crimea. The verdict is based on a combination of contradictory evidence, some of which was objected to by the defense.

According to the case file, Kukshtel was detained in 2023 in Odesa. SBU officers stopped his car, searched it, and seized the medal "For the Defense of Crimea". The accused himself claimed that the award was planted on him, and called the circumstances of his detention illegal.

Анна Бальчінос