Former director of a poultry farm from Kherson region gets 10 years in prison

In the summer of 2022, a local businessman became the head of the occupation village council in the Kherson region, placing racists in villagers' homes and stealing property. He also organized a referendum and managed the life of the villagers under occupation.

This is evidenced by the verdict of the Velyko Oleksandrivskyi District Court of the Kherson region.

According to the investigation, the head of the local poultry farm, Ihor Ruban, became the head of the Olhovo village council, illegally created by the occupation authorities, in June 2022.

Witnesses said that he organized an illegal referendum, controlled its conduct, sent humanitarian aid and pensions from the Russian Federation, and recruited employees for the occupation administration.

One of the witnesses said that the gauleiter came to the director of the kindergarten, offered to open the institution during the occupation, asked for firewood and food, and searched for staff himself. Another witness said that he demanded the keys to the orphanage and office equipment from the starosta, threatening to inform the occupation administration if they refused, and organized meetings of residents to campaign in favor of his position.

According to the music director of the community center, he hid the equipment in his house from the occupiers, but Ruban took it away.

Residents of the village said that he himself had compiled lists of supporters of the occupiers, hired an accountant and village council employees, and settled the Russian military in abandoned houses and social facilities.

According to media reports, he was previously engaged in entrepreneurial activities in the field of forestry support services. Since 2019, he has been the head of the local Olgivske PrJSC, a significant share of which is controlled by the Kyiv-based Titan concern. The company specialized in poultry farming.

The official's activities ceased after the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the right-bank part of Kherson region, including the village of Olhivka, on 11.11.2022.

The court found him guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. All of the defendant's assets were confiscated in favor of the state: Mustang, Volkswagen Caravelle, KamAZ, Mazda E 2200, Claas Dominator 96 combine harvester, T-150K wheeled tractor, and a residential building with a land plot of 1700 square meters. The sentence will be served from the date of detention.

An entrepreneur from Kherson region who helped the occupiers was also sentenced. He supplied resources and maintained equipment used against Ukrainian defenders and local residents.

Анна Бальчінос