A plant operator was sentenced for working in a colony during the occupation of Kherson

In Mykolaiv, a court found guilty a native of Kherson region who in July 2022 voluntarily took a job at the Northern Correctional Colony No. 90 in Kherson, created by the occupiers. The man took the position of a junior inspector and received a special rank of private in the internal service.

This is evidenced by the verdict of the Uzhhorod City District Court.

According to the investigation, the accused, being a citizen of Ukraine, voluntarily took a position in an illegal law enforcement agency established in the temporarily occupied territory.

During the court interrogation, the man explained that he worked in the colony from the end of July to the end of October 2022. His duties included supervising the convicts and being on duty on the towers. The shifts lasted a day every other day. He emphasized that he came to work because of his difficult financial situation - the obligation to support his wife, three children and retired parents, and his mother with cancer.

The defendant said that before the full-scale invasion of Russia, he worked as an extruder operator at the Amalthea LLC plant in Kherson. The occupying forces entered the city on February 26, 2022, through the Antonivskyi Bridge. Cars were moving in columns, and in the village of Komyshany, the occupiers stood around for a month, then started going door to door. The occupation authorities did not visit him, but his wife faced threats and physical pressure.

At first, the man did not work, stayed at home. Later, a friend offered him a job in the colony, which he initially refused to accept, but then agreed. When they were hired, they were interviewed by a man in military uniform who checked their passports, asked questions about their service, place of residence, and bad habits.

At work, they were given a dark green uniform, without insignia, and weapons for duty on the towers. The duty lasted 24 hours, then they had a shift. The defendant received his salary in cash from the accounting department - about 33 thousand rubles.

He confirmed that he realized he was working for the occupation authorities, pleaded guilty and sincerely repented. He actively cooperated with the investigation and provided incriminating evidence against six people who also worked in the security department.

The court sentenced the man to 6 years in prison without confiscation of property and banned him from holding positions in law enforcement agencies for 10 years.

Another resident of Kherson received a 12-year sentence for collaboration after he got a job in an occupation colony. The court rejected his explanation of financial difficulties and recognized service in the law enforcement agency of the aggressor state as a crime. Before the full-scale invasion, the man worked in construction.

Анна Бальчінос