Church, culture and propaganda: a former MP from Kherson is under investigation

Law enforcement officers were allowed to launch an investigation against an occupier official in Kherson region. He managed the social, cultural and educational spheres in favor of the aggressor state. It is a former deputy of the regional council, Ihor Brzezycki.

This is evidencedby the decision of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv.

According to the investigation, no later than April 2023, he took the position of "deputy head of the administration of the Kakhovka municipal district" and actually managed a number of social, cultural and educational activities of the occupation administration. His subordination included the departments of culture and tourism, education and youth, labor and social protection, juvenile affairs, and sports.

Since November 2023, the official has held working meetings with heads of cultural centers and libraries, organized cultural and propaganda events in favor of the aggressor state, and established cooperation with Russian charitable foundations to ensure that schools operate according to Russian standards.

At the same time, he expressed gratitude to representatives of the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for their assistance to the Kakhovka Central District Hospital, including the provision of mattresses and medicines. The official also made working visits to cultural institutions in the district, visiting cultural centers and libraries in Kakhovka, Rozdilne, Semenivka, Kamyanka, Tsukury, and Chornianka, where he held working meetings with employees to assess the situation and plan the development of the cultural sphere.

In addition, he conducted personal reception of citizens aimed at resolving issues of calculation and payment of pensions under Russian law, and involved representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in propaganda activities.

Investigators note that the official repeatedly participated in meetings and seminars organized by the occupation administration and Russian structures, in particular on the integration of the economies of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions into the Russian economy and the provision of medical care to residents of the district. He also chaired the commission on social issues at the first session of the so-called council of deputies of the Kakhovka municipal district, which is now part of the Russian Federation. The court decided to authorize a special pre-trial investigation.

Intent wrote that the Security Service of Ukraine served a new suspicion of collaboration to Ihor Brzezycki, a businessman and former deputy of the Kherson Regional Council.

In 2024, law enforcement officers notified him of suspicion of collaborating with the occupation authorities in the educational sphere - according to the investigation, he headed the education department in Kakhovka created by the invaders. In addition, in 2022, he was involved in the seizure and looting of the city's social services center after the occupation of the city.

Ihor Brzezycki used to be a member of the Kherson Regional Council from the Party of Regions and managed the Kakhovka Experimental Mechanical Plant. He was also the head of the diocesan department for family issues in the structure of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate for a long time and publicly expressed pro-Russian views. His wife and son also cooperated with the occupation administration.

Анна Бальчінос