Kherson colony sergeant gets 12 years in prison for collaboration with occupiers

A resident of Kherson was convicted of working for the occupiers after the city was captured by Russian troops. He voluntarily became a guard in the colony, which the occupation authorities created on the basis of the Northern Correctional Colony No. 90.

This is evidenced by the verdict of the Uzhhorod City Court.

According to the investigation, after the capture of Kherson by Russian troops in March 2022, the occupation administration created the so-called "Department of the Penitentiary Service for Kherson Region" on the basis of the Northern Correctional Colony No. 90.

He was appointed a junior inspector of the first category of the security department and promoted to the rank of sergeant of the internal service. His duties included control over the regime of detention of convicts and protection of the colony's perimeter.

Witnesses in court confirmed that Volodymyr Kostenko worked in the colony together with other employees, was on duty at the towers with weapons and performed security functions. They noted that the man came to work voluntarily, was not under pressure and regularly reported for duty.

The court interrogated the witness via videoconference. She said that until February 24, 2022, she worked as a cashier in a store, but after the outbreak of full-scale war, she was left without a job and livelihood.

According to her, she later got a job as a junior security inspector in SIZO No. 90. She was on duty on the towers with a machine gun. The institution was under Russian control at the time: The Russian language was used there, and there were Russian coats of arms and flags on the buildings. Every morning, the employees and guards were gathered for a line-up, after which they went to work.

The witness noted that the employees were given uniforms - jackets, T-shirts, shoes, belts - as well as AK-74 assault rifles.

During the interrogation, the woman said that the accused worked in the institution with her. According to her, he was also on duty at the tower, wore a uniform issued by the institution and had a weapon. According to the witness, he was paid in cash - 38 thousand Russian rubles each. The money was given out in the accounting department of the central building: employees took turns going there for a whole shift. She also explained that many people came to work voluntarily because they needed to support their families.

During the trial, the defendant partially admitted his guilt, but denied it completely in the debate. He claimed that the colony staff allegedly just continued to work when Ukrainian law enforcement agencies left the city.

In January 2024, the man was notified of suspicion in absentia and put on the international wanted list. On February 28, 2024, he was detained in Kherson and remained in custody. The court sentenced Volodymyr Kostenko to 13 years in prison with confiscation of all his property.

The resident of Kherson region also went to work for the occupation police of the Russian Federation. The court found her guilty of collaboration and sentenced her to imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Анна Бальчінос