Former Mykolaiv Commander Faces Treason Trial for Alleged Russian Collaboration

In Mykolaiv, a former commander and former official is on trial for treason. Investigators believe that he collaborated with Russian special services, passed on information about the effects of shelling and attempted to recruit the mayor of Ochakiv.

This was reported by the Media Initiative.

The Zavodskyi District Court of Mykolaiv continues to consider the case of Eduard Shevchenko, former commander of the 73rd Naval Center of the Special Operations Forces and former official of the Ochakiv City Council. He is accused of high treason: according to the investigation, he worked for Russian special services, informed about the results of shelling and tried to recruit the mayor of Ochakiv, Sergey Bychkov. Shevchenko himself categorically denies these accusations.

Shevchenko is a former military man who took part in the fighting in eastern Ukraine. In 2014-2016, he commanded a special forces unit and received a number of state awards, including the Bohdan Khmelnytsky and the Order of Courage. In 2016, he became the head of the 73rd Naval Center, but a year later he was dismissed by a decision of the military medical commission. He considered the dismissal to be politically motivated.

At the time of Russia's full-scale invasion, the defendant worked in the Ochakiv City Council, where he was in charge of security and video surveillance. According to the SBU, he was a Russian agent with the pseudonym "Master" who collected information about the situation in Ochakiv and passed it on to the Russians.

The accusation is based on Shevchenko 's correspondence with Russian officer Sergei Kolesnikov, which was found on his phone. The prosecutor read out fragments of dialogues where the accused informs the Russian agent about the shelling in the city, transmits data on the situation in Ochakiv and expresses concern about the safety of his family. The correspondence also mentions the location of military facilities.

The defendant himself insists that he did not pass on any classified information and did not cooperate with the enemy. He admits that he communicated with the Russian side, but explains it as a professional necessity.

The defendant stated that the case against him was fabricated. He believes that he was targeted by the SBU because he had previously had conflicts with law enforcement agencies due to his dismissal from the army. He also claimed that the searches in his house were accompanied by violations, and that some evidence was falsified.

The prosecutor's office is convinced that Shevchenko acted in the interests of the Russian Federation. The main argument of the prosecution is his contacts with the Russian military, which lasted from 2018. The first information he passed on to the enemy concerned security measures for facilities, communication networks, and the participation of representatives of the British Armed Forces in the development of strategic operations.

The trial is currently underway. The defense insists on the defendant's innocence, and the prosecution is preparing to present new evidence. If the court finds him guilty, he faces life in prison.

In March 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine detained him and charged him with high treason committed under martial law.

Анна Бальчінос