Former Crimean Deputy Sentenced to 15 Years for High Treason in Ukraine

A former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for high treason and encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. He supported the occupation of Crimea, voted for the pseudo-referendum and was appointed to a position in the occupation authorities, which is why he is now wanted.

This was reported by the press service of the SBU Main Directorate in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The convict was a member of the Crimean parliament in 2010, when he ran for the now banned Party of Regions in the majority district No. 15.

In 2014, he actively supported the illegal "referendum" on the accession of Crimea to Russia and voted for the adoption of the so-called "Constitution of the Republic of Crimea". His activities contributed to the legitimization of the occupation authorities, for which he received a position in the so-called "state council" of the Kremlin-controlled government.

Law enforcement officers also found that the collaborator was actively engaged in propaganda activities and called on local residents to participate in the pseudo-referendum.

The court found him guilty of high treason (Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and encroachment on the territorial integrity of the country (Part 3 of Article 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Since the convict is hiding in the temporarily occupied territory, measures are being taken to detain and bring him to justice.

The investigation was conducted by the SBU in the AR of Crimea under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of the AR of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Recently, the collaborator, who worked in a penal colony for Russian invaders during the occupation of Kherson region, was detained when he tried to hide in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was notified of suspicion of collaboration, which provides for up to 15 years in prison.

Two residents of Kherson are also suspected of collaborating with the occupiers during the pseudo-referendum in 2022. They were actively involved in the work of fake election commissions and were notified in absence of suspicion of collaboration.

Last year, Dmytro Bolbot, a deputy of the Kherson City Council, organized fundraising from Kherson enterprises on the orders of Russian henchman Volodymyr Saldo and transferred them to the needs of the occupation military. He was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison for helping the Russians.

Анна Бальчінос