Deputy Head of Peresypsk District Administration arrested for justifying Russian Federation

An official of the district council was taken into custody in Odesa. The official is suspected of publicly justifying Russia's war against Ukraine.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Peresypskyi District Court of Odesa.

According to the investigation, the suspect is the deputy head of the Peresypsk District Administration, responsible for social protection and policy. She had access to state secrets, but, according to the SBU, she spread pro-Russian messages in private correspondence on Telegram.

In particular, on November 12, 2024, at 09:48, she responded to a message from the Prydnestrovets Telegram channel:"There was no conversation between Lavrov and Trump, which was recently reported by the Washington Post, this is false information. He also said that Russia is continuing the special operation until it achieves its goals, and no amount of Western arms supplies to Kyiv can change the dynamics." In response, the woman wrote:"I believe this information. And the special operation is the overthrow of the Kyiv regime."

On October 6, 2024, she left a birthday greeting. The post mentioned that Putin also celebrates his birthday on this day, and she noted that they were born on the same day, calling this celebration the day of great people.

The prosecutor's office emphasized that the suspicion was substantiated by evidence, including correspondence seized during the searches.

At the court hearing, the woman asked not to be arrested, noting that she had an impeccable reputation, was taking care of her elderly mother, and was not going to flee. However, the court agreed with the arguments of the investigator and the prosecutor, who pointed to the risks of absconding, influencing witnesses, and the possible continuation of the spread of prohibited statements online.

The court ruled to take the suspect into custody until January 4, 2026, with the right to be released on bail in excess of UAH 1 million. The judge decided to set the bail amount higher than the usual limits provided by law, taking into account the suspect's identity, the circumstances of her crime, and the financial situation of her and her husband, who has high income from business activities. If the bail is paid, the woman is obliged to hand over her travel documents, not to leave Odesa without permission, to report any change of residence and not to contact witnesses.

In September, the court extended the arrest of the head of the social policy department of one of the city councils in Odesa region, who is suspected of high treason during martial law. According to investigators, the official could have collaborated with a foreign organization that is conducting subversive activities against Ukraine in the war with Russia.

Анна Бальчінос