Former Crimean law enforcement officers to be tried for treason

Three former Crimean law enforcement officers have been sent to court for treason. After the occupation of the peninsula, they joined the Russian law enforcement agencies and contributed to subversive activities against Ukraine.

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

Law enforcers have submitted to the court indictments against three former law enforcement officers from Crimea. They are accused of high treason (Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The defendants are Ukrainian citizens, the former head of the Chornomorsk District Department and two operatives of the Kerch City Department and the line department of the Simferopol Airport. After the occupation of the peninsula, they joined the Russian law enforcement agencies, betraying their oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people.

According to the investigation, the defendants held key positions in the occupation bodies of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs: Deputy Head of the District Department and Head of the Criminal Police of the Black Sea Department, Acting Head of the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Yevpatoria and Head of the Police Department No. 1 "Alupka" in Yalta. They ensured the work of the occupation law enforcement agencies and facilitated subversive activities against Ukraine.

In addition, indictments under Part 7 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (collaboration) against two of them are currently being considered by the courts.

In July, two former Crimean law enforcement officers were notified of suspicion of high treason for collaborating with the occupation authorities. One of them is still serving in the structures of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the other has been promoted several times. Since 2009, the suspects have been working as operatives in the criminal investigation units of the Kerch City Department and the Kirovsky District Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the AR of Crimea. After the occupation of the peninsula began in 2014, they betrayed their oath and joined Russian law enforcement agencies.

The court also convicted the former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Crimea of high treason. After the occupation, he headed the department of the Russian Navy in the Krasnogvardeisky district and was sentenced to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Анна Бальчінос