Director of the occupiers' railway in Kherson was sentenced to 11 years in prison

The court sentenced a resident of Kherson in absentia to 11 years in prison for collaborating with the occupation authorities. He headed an illegally created enterprise and provided railroad logistics in the interests of Russia.

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

The investigation found that in 2022, during the occupation of Kherson, the man voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the Russian administration and headed the Kherson Railway, an enterprise created by the occupiers.

In this position, he organized the transfer of the property of the Ukrainian railway to the control of the occupiers, transferred the work of the enterprise to Russian standards and ensured the functioning of the illegal structure.

In addition, the convict established railway communication with the temporarily occupied Crimea and organized the transportation of goods in the interests of Russia.

He also introduced the payment of salaries in rubles, facilitated the receipt of Russian passports by employees and coordinated the activities of the enterprise in accordance with the decisions of the occupation authorities.

The court found the Kherson resident guilty of aiding the aggressor state and sentenced him to 11 years in prison. The sentence was passed in absentia. The convict was also banned from holding positions in government, local government and law enforcement agencies for 15 years, as well as from engaging in activities related to the provision of public services.

An entrepreneur from Kherson region who helped the Russian military and illegal armed groups during the temporary occupation was also sentenced to 12 years in prison. He supplied resources and maintained equipment used against Ukrainian defenders and local residents.

In 2023, the man signed a contract for more than 618 thousand Russian rubles. For this money, he purchased spare parts and materials, as well as maintained 26 vehicles of the military formation, which were used to support its activities and "operational and combat activities" against Ukrainian citizens.

Анна Бальчінос