The commander of the occupiers' self-defense seized the Crimean Rada and was suspected of treason

The former military officer, who headed the 3rd company of the so-called Crimean Self-Defense, was notified of suspicion of treason, creation of an illegal armed group and encroachment on the integrity of Ukraine. In 2014, he and his squad seized administrative buildings in Crimea, and now he is a deputy.

This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

The prosecutor's office served a notice of suspicion to the head of the so-called third company of the illegal armed group Crimean Self-Defense, which was created with the support and under the control of the Russian Federation.

According to the investigation, the suspect participated in the activities of an illegal armed group, attacked state institutions and organizations, encroached on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and committed treason.

In February 2014, the man, who had previously served in the army, formed a group of combat veterans, including those who had participated in conflicts in the North Caucasus. This unit joined the Crimean Self-Defense as its third company, and the suspect himself became its commander.

On February 26, 2014, carrying firearms, he and his unit arrived at the building of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Following the orders of his superiors, he ordered to surround the administrative building in order to force the Crimean speaker to hold an extraordinary session on the organization of a referendum on the so-called independence of the peninsula.

Later, he also provided security and conducted this illegal referendum in Simferopol. After the occupation of Crimea, the suspect was elected three times as a deputy of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea from the United Russia party. The last time was in September 2024, and he is currently holding the mandate.

The Russian authorities awarded him the medals "For the Defense of Crimea" and "For the Return of Crimea". A pre-trial investigation is currently underway. He faces up to 15 years in prison under Part 4 of Article 260, Part 2 of Article 110, Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The former Crimean prosecutor was also served with a new suspicion of high treason and cooperation with the occupiers. According to the investigation, after the seizure of the peninsula, he voluntarily joined the illegally created prosecutor's office and helped strengthen Russian power in the region.

Анна Бальчінос