Worked for Russians in occupation: 7 Kherson residents detained

The Security Service of Ukraine detained seven residents of Kherson region who collaborated with the Russian invaders during the occupation of the region.

According to the SBU, after the liberation of the regional center, the suspects tried to avoid justice. One of them was going to flee abroad, and the rest minimized their contacts and almost never left the house, trying to "lay low." In particular, the SBU and the National Police detained two residents of Kherson who were "chief accountants" in the temporarily occupied city - one in the regional hospital and the other in the administration of Gauleiter Saldo. On his instructions, the collaborators transferred all the property of the seized state institutions to Russia and introduced a "ruble" zone.

Another detainee is a local businessman who, after the occupation of the port city, set up a currency exchange office with the permission of the racists, where he bought hryvnia in exchange for Russian rubles. According to available data, the enemy hoped to completely withdraw the official currency of Ukraine from circulation in the region through such controlled "financiers."

The other three collaborators called on local residents to "vote for the region's accession" to Russia. Along with them, another agitator was detained who spoke in support of the Russian occupation groups from the Bilozerska community.

Currently, all of the defendants have been served notices of suspicion of <span>collaboration committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy;</span> aiding the aggressor state; justifying, recognizing as lawful, denying Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, and glorifying its participants. The offenders face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Earlier, the court sentenced a resident of Kherson region to seven years in prison for collaborating with the occupation authorities. She is currently in custody until the sentence enters into full force.

Олеся Ланцман