MP from Kherson region sentenced to life in prison for high treason

A deputy of the Genichesk City Council from the banned OPFL received the most severe punishment for high treason - life imprisonment with full confiscation of property.

According to the press service of the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office, he voluntarily sided with the Russian occupiers during the seizure of Henichesk in 2022.

The investigation established that in April 2022, the deputy agreed to the Russians' offer of the position of "first deputy head" of the so-called military-civilian administration of Henichesk. In this position, he performed managerial functions, recruited personnel for the occupation structures, organized the work of schools and cultural institutions according to Russian standards, and urged local educators to cooperate with the occupiers.

In particular, as the court found, the deputy agitated school staff to receive "humanitarian aid" from Russia, compiled lists of those willing to work in occupation institutions, and even threatened to close schools or turn them into barracks if they did not comply.

According to the Kherson City Court, in May 2022, the deputy held pseudo-elections for the occupation starosta of the village of Rivne in the Henichesk community. He was subsequently appointed first deputy mayor of Henichesk.

For this, the deputy was found guilty in absentia under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - high treason. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with confiscation of all property.

The prosecutor's office and the court verdict do not name the accused, but according to media reports, it is Bohdan Kaznavetskyi. Until February 24, 2022, he was involved in organizing cultural events and hosting various children's parties. In the city of Henichesk, he is known as an animator.

Recently, a court found Vitaliy Guru, the occupier-appointed deputy head of the Novokakhovka city military-civilian administration, guilty of collaboration and sentenced him to nine and a half years in prison with confiscation of property.

Ірина Глухова