The director of a TV and radio company in Kherson was sentenced to 12 years in prison under the occupiers

The court sentenced the director of a TV and radio company to 12 years in prison in absentia for cooperation. He headed the company seized by the occupiers and connected Russian troops to the Internet in Kherson region.

This was reported by the Center for Investigative Journalism with reference to the court verdict.

In 2022, 59-year-old resident of Kakhovka Oleksandr Larchenko, known by the nickname "Chip," illegally headed the Rubintelecom TV and radio company seized by the Russian occupiers and was engaged in connecting their structures to the Internet.

According to the court, in the spring of 2022, Larchenko voluntarily took over Rubintelecom in Nova Kakhovka, illegally connected occupation authorities and military facilities to the Internet, set up equipment for the enemy, and recruited system administrators. Witnesses said that he came accompanied by the Russian military, controlled the work of the enterprise and communicated amicably with the occupiers.

The court determined that his actions were used by Russia to wage war against Ukraine, block defense capabilities and control the media space. On August 13, the Novovorontsov District Court of Kherson region found him guilty in absentia of aiding the enemy and sentenced him to 12 years in prison with confiscation of all property.

Larchenko's land plot of 0.0982 hectares and two cars - a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse and a 1991 Volkswagen Passat - will be confiscated. In addition, he was banned from holding positions in government, state and municipal enterprises and institutions for 15 years after serving his main sentence.

In July, SBU cyber specialists exposed the owner of an underground IT company in Ivano-Frankivsk who worked for the Russian invaders during the full-scale war. He is currently hiding in the left bank of Kherson region and holds the position of Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Mass Communications in the Russian occupation administration. The first task of the defendant is to create a fake human rights website to discredit Ukrainian activists.

Анна Бальчінос