Former head of occupation village council in Kherson region sentenced to 12 years in prison

A court in absentia sentenced the former "head" of the occupation administration in Skadovsk district, Kherson region, to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property for cooperation with Russia.

This was reported by the police of the Kherson region.

According to the investigation, in the summer of 2022, a 33-year-old resident of the occupied part of Skadovsk district voluntarily agreed to head the "territorial administration of the Mikhailovsky village council" created by the occupiers.

Investigators found that the man agitated local residents to obtain Russian passports, re-register businesses and land plots under Russian law, and apply for employment in occupation institutions.

In addition, the convict urged residents to participate in an illegal referendum on the accession of the occupied part of the Kherson region to Russia.

The police also stated that the defendant organized the placement of Russian symbols on administrative buildings and shops in Mykhailivka and Novomykolaivka.

According to law enforcement, he provided a local school with Russian textbooks and agitated children to participate in an educational program in Sevastopol.

The investigation established that the man passed information about local residents and ATO participants to the occupiers, and was also engaged in the resettlement of Russian military in abandoned houses.

He was found guilty of aiding and abetting the aggressor state and collaboration.

In addition to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property, the court banned him from holding public office and engaging in activities related to the provision of public services for 15 years.

Earlier, the Court convicted in absentia two residents of Kherson region who collaborated with the Russian invaders during the occupation. Both held senior positions in illegal authorities and contributed to the establishment of the occupation regime. One of the convicts is a resident of Hornostai district ,Andrii Lopushenko , who headed the occupation "Kostiantyniv territorial administration". The other is Oleksiy Malyonkin from Kherson, who headed a fake "municipal district" in the captured village of Ivanivka. The court sentenced them to 8 and 10 years in prison for their collaboration activities.

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