Employee of Kherson Lyceum is imprisoned for implementing the Russian educational program

In Kherson, a court found guilty of collaboration a former vocational training instructor who headed a lyceum established by Russians during the occupation. He introduced Russian education standards, organized training under Russian programs, and paid salaries in rubles.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

The court concluded that the resident of Kherson cooperated with the occupation authorities and contributed to the activities of the aggressor state by working in the education system created by the Russians after the capture of the city.

As the investigation established, before the full-scale war, the man worked at the Kherson Professional Lyceum of Communications and Printing. After the occupation, he agreed to become the head of an illegally created educational institution controlled by the occupation "ministry of education".

The court found that under his leadership, the lyceum switched to Russian education standards. They used textbooks from the Russian Federation, documentation was kept in Russian, and the symbols of the aggressor country were placed in the premises. He also recruited students and employees and organized the payment of salaries in Russian rubles.

During the searches, law enforcement officers seized Russian symbols, Russian educational materials, documents of the occupation institution and personnel papers signed by the accused as director.

At the trial, the man denied his guilt. He claimed that he agreed to head the institution allegedly to preserve the lyceum's property, but admitted that he actually acted as director, employed people and organized training under Russian programs until the liberation of Kherson.

Following the trial, the court found him guilty of collaboration and aiding the aggressor state. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property and banned from working in education and holding positions in government for 15 years.

The time spent in custody since September 11, 2023 was counted towards the sentence. The convict will remain in pre-trial detention until the sentence enters into force. In addition, the court seized the apartment, shares of other real estate, a garage, a telephone, SIM cards and computer equipment for further confiscation in favor of the state.

The court also found the so-called director of a Kherson school guilty of collaboration and aiding the aggressor state. She openly supported the decisions of the occupation administration and tried to convince other school staff to work according to the new, imposed standards.

Анна Бальчінос