In the Kherson region, a former village head who campaigned for Putin was sentenced to 15 years

Olga Baranovska, a 50-year-old collaborator who sided with Russia after the occupation of the Kherson region and headed the occupation administration of Malaya Lepetikha, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. The Novovorontsov District Court of Kherson Oblast handed down the sentence.

This was reported by “IRS-South.”

The court found that Olga Baranovska, a native of Malaya Lepetikha who had been the legally elected village head prior to the full-scale invasion, voluntarily collaborated with the Russian invaders after the occupation and became the so-called “head” of the occupation administration of the Velyka Lepetykha community.

According to the court, in 2024 she publicly called on local residents to participate in the illegal Russian presidential election and campaigned for people to vote for Vladimir Putin. Baranovska also repeatedly spoke out in support of the occupying authorities. Witnesses confirmed that she also campaigned among community residents during the illegal “referendum” of 2022.

The court found her guilty under Parts 5 and 6 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (collaboration) and sentenced her to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

However, this is already Baranovska’s second conviction. In November 2025, the Sosnivsky District Court of Cherkasy had already found her guilty of high treason and collaboration. Taking both sentences into account, the final sentence is 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of all property.

In addition, after serving her sentence, she is barred for 14 years from holding positions in state authorities, local self-government bodies, and other institutions that provide public services, as well as from participating in the electoral process. The verdict has not yet become final.

Prior to the occupation, Olga Baranovska served as the village head of Mala Lepetykha in the Velyka Lepetykha community and worked at the regional social assistance center. In 2020, she ran for the Kherson Regional Council as a candidate for the “Servant of the People” party but was not elected. After Russian troops seized the community, she voluntarily sided with the occupiers and headed the occupation administration they established.

Андрій Колісніченко