Wife of the Minister of Tourism of the occupiers of Kherson region was sentenced to 10 years

The former businesswoman from Kherson region became a deputy of the occupation council from Putin's United Russia party. She was found guilty of collaboration and sentenced to imprisonment.

This is evidenced by the verdict of the city court of Ivano-Frankivsk region.

The court found the deputy of the occupation council of the Kalanchak municipal district of Kherson region guilty of collaboration in absence.

According to the investigation, in September 2023, she took office as a deputy from the United Russia party after illegal elections in the temporarily occupied Kherson region. Later, she headed the so-called Commission on Social Affairs, Legality and Deputy Ethics.

Witnesses said that before the full-scale invasion of the aggressor country, they knew her through their joint activities of growing and selling vegetables. One of the witnesses noted that he had seen the defendant arrive with her husband and the Russian military to conduct propaganda activities.

The case also used as evidence the references to the defendant in the stories of the occupation media, posts of pro-Russian telegram channels and documents issued by the occupation authorities.

The court found her guilty under Part 5 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and sentenced her to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property and a 15-year ban on holding public office. The verdict has not yet entered into force, as the defendant has the right to appeal.

According to the Center for Investigative Journalism, it is Zhamila Zapalylova, the wife of the former Minister of Tourism of Kherson region, Serhiy Zapalylov, who previously worked as the first deputy head of the illegal Kalanchak administration. The 39-year-old woman received a suspicion in absence from the SBU in September 2024.

Investigators found that she took part in the illegal elections in Kalanchak and became a deputy of the so-called "council of deputies", chairing the standing committee on social issues and deputy ethics. Zapalunyova and her husband met earlier in Chaplynka, where he held a key position in the local occupation administration.

At the end of August, Kherson City Council member Kostiantyn Syvak was notified of being suspected of treason. He is accused of handing over state inspection boats and boats worth more than UAH 4 million to the occupiers, who allegedly contributed to subversive activities against Ukraine.

Анна Бальчінос