Drones, fuel and two tons of aid: Crimean women go on trial

Under the guise of "charity", two women from occupied Crimea supplied resources to the enemy army - now they will be tried for helping the Russian military. According to the investigation, they collected tons of aid, from drones to fuel, and systematically transferred it to the occupiers.

This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Law enforcement officers have submitted to the court indictments against two women from the occupied peninsula who are suspected of aiding the aggressor state.

According to the investigation, the Ukrainian citizens took an active part in the activities of so-called "charitable organizations" that actually work to support the Russian military involved in the war against Ukraine. According to the Krymsky Viter channel, these are Veronika Kotkova and Olena Prokopenko.

Law enforcement officers found that the women organized aid collections and handed over various resources to representatives of the Russian armed forces. These included quadcopters, fuel and lubricants, spare parts for vehicles and military equipment, tools, batteries, as well as food and hygiene products.

One of the defendants, according to the investigation, collected about two tons of aid for the Russian military as part of several "charity events". In addition, she received the Golden Griffin 2023 award from the occupation authorities for her active support of the war against Ukraine.

The actions of both women are qualified under Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - aiding the aggressor state. The sanction of this article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 12 years.

Also last year, law enforcement officers exposed another "philanthropist." Venera Duvalidis, a native of Simferopol, organized fundraising and material resources in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and transferred them directly to the locations of the Russian military. During 2023-2025, she transferred portable radios, a motorcycle, ammunition, drones, blankets, tactical stretchers, medicines and food to the occupiers.

Анна Бальчінос