Ukraine sentences ex-deputy of Sevastopol City Council to 11 years in absentia

In Ukraine, a deputy of the Sevastopol City Council of the VI convocation was sentenced in absentia to 11 years in prison under the article on high treason.

This was reported by the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and the Security Service of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

"Prosecutors proved in court that in March 2014, the convict, together with other deputies of the Sevastopol City Council, voted for the adoption of an illegal resolution "On the Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol", which contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine," the statement said.

The agency emphasized that by such actions "the convict assisted the aggressor state in conducting subversive activities against Ukraine to the detriment of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability."

The SBU added that the convict organized pro-Russian rallies and called on Crimeans to "reunite the fraternal peoples." They also said that since "the offender is in the uncontrolled territory of Ukraine, comprehensive measures are being taken to bring him to justice for crimes against Ukraine."

The SBU report does not name the convicted person, but media reports suggest that it may be Artem Maltsev. Before the annexation of Crimea, Maltsev worked for the commercial organization Sevbudmontazh LLC. He was a deputy of the Sevastopol City Council of the V and VI convocations (until September 14, 2014), a member of the Communists of Sevastopol parliamentary faction, and the City Council's Standing Committee on Industry, Agriculture, Trade and Entrepreneurship.

After 2014, he was a member of the Russian Ministry of Defense's commission on the inventory of "nationalized" property in Crimea and Sevastopol. From 2015 to April 2020, he served as President of the Crimean Chamber of Commerce and Industry. On April 22, 2020, he was appointed First Deputy Head of the Russian administration of Yalta. After the death of the head of the Yalta administration Ivan Imgrunt on October 18, 2020, Maltsev was appointed to perform his duties. He served as the acting head of the Yalta administration from October 27, 2020, until the appointment of Yanina Pavlenko, CEO of the Crimean winery Massandra, to this position on November 20 of the same year.

Artem Maltsev is the husband of Russian Senator from Crimea Olga Kovitidi.

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