Former Head of the State Emergency Service in the Kherson Region Sentenced for Collaborating with the Occupiers

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The commander of the Third State Fire and Rescue Unit of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Kherson region, who holds the special rank of “Colonel of the Civil Protection Service,” was convicted of collaborating with the Russians. The sentence calls for 15 years of imprisonment, along with a 15-year ban on holding any position in law enforcement agencies or engaging in law enforcement activities, and the confiscation of his property.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>This is stated in the verdict of the Kherson City Court. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The investigation established that the defendant was in the city of Henichesk, Kherson Oblast, at the time of its occupation. He defected to the enemy no later than July 2022 and persuaded his subordinates in the State Emergency Service of Ukraine to do the same. He later assumed the position of illegal head of the Henichesk District Department of the Service for Civil Defense, Emergencies, and Disaster Relief in the Kherson region. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Subsequently, no later than May 2023, the defendant became deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Kherson region. In this position, he oversaw the work of subordinate units, particularly regarding the response to flooding caused by the breach of the Kakhovka Reservoir. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>It was also established that, in his official capacity, the defendant participated in mass events and celebrations of Russian Federation public holidays and promoted the authority of the occupying authorities.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

Earlier, it was reported that an engineer from Mykolaiv had helped the Russians develop equipment for oil production. The work was commissioned by the Russian company “Pejeng-Tech.” The convicted man designed and refined electronic circuit boards,sent photographs of finished products, drawings, technical diagrams, and other design documentation. In his correspondence, he reported on the completion of the work, shared the designs via GitHub, and explained the technical features of the boards he had created. Additionally, in 2025, he received drawings of new products from a representative of the Russian company, made changes to them, and returned the finalized files. 

Юлія Калабайда