Former Director of Kherson Port Receives 9 Years for Working for the Occupiers

The former director of the occupied Kherson port was sentenced for the first time for collaboration. His participation in illegal elections and cooperation with the occupiers were the main points of the guilty verdict.

This was reported by the Center for Investigative Journalism with reference to the court verdict.

55-year-old Andriy Kharytonov, former director of the seized Kherson Commercial Sea Port, was convicted of collaboration. On May 1, 2025, the Kherson City Court found him guilty in absentia of collaborating with the Russian invaders, appointing him a deputy of the occupation Duma of Kherson region from the United Russia party. The court sentenced Kharytonov to nine years in prison with confiscation of property and deprivation of the right to hold public office for 12 years.

According to the case file, in 2023 Kharytonov voluntarily participated in illegal elections to the occupation council of Kherson region. He actively supported the Russian occupation, publicly calling the elections a "historic event." In addition, he participated in the seizure of the Kherson Bakery Plant, where he announced that the company was now subordinate to the Russian invaders.

It is known that he was appointed director of the illegal Kherson Commercial Sea Port in September 2022 by the decision of the governor of Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo. However, over time, conflicts arose between them, and he was fired.

Kharytonov has several other criminal cases, including the illegal export of 3,000 tons of barley in early 2023, as well as charges of property fraud. The trial for other crimes is still ongoing.

Also, a deputy of the Henichesk City Council, who represented the banned OPFL party, was sentenced to life imprisonment with full confiscation of property for treason.

Recently, the former Crimean prosecutor was notified of a new suspicion of treason and collaboration. According to investigators, after the occupation of Crimea, he voluntarily joined the illegally created prosecutor's office and helped establish Russian control over the peninsula.

Анна Бальчінос