Former deputy directors of a vocational school in Kherson posted bail for taking children to Crimea

The Desnyansky District Court of Kyiv extended the detention of Yulia Suprun, the former deputy director of Kherson Vocational School No. 2, but set bail at 998,400 hryvnias as an alternative.

This was reported by the Media Initiative for Human Rights.

Suprun is accused of a war crime and collaboration. According to the investigation, in October 2022, she organized the transfer of seven children aged 15 to 17 from Kherson to occupied Crimea. These were orphans and children deprived of parental care.

According to investigators, the children were told they were being taken to a health camp in Crimea. Two of the teenagers did not want to go, but they were threatened. The seven children were subsequently taken to the river port in Oleshky, from where they were transported by bus to the “Druzhba” camp in Crimea.

In the occupied territory, according to the prosecution, the children were taught using Russian educational programs and prepared for military service. One child was successfully returned to Ukraine with the help of international volunteer organizations. Another child left for Germany, and two went to Poland. The fate of the remaining two children is currently unknown.

In addition, Suprun is accused of collaboration. According to the investigation, she implemented Russian educational standards at the school, selected teachers, and admitted students. Furthermore, according to the prosecution, the Russian flag and coat of arms were displayed at the school, and the Russian national anthem was played there.

Suprun was detained in February 2025 after she and her husband moved from Kherson to Brovary in the Kyiv region.

The prosecutor requested that her detention be extended, citing the risk that she might flee from justice and potentially influence witnesses and victims. The defense requested that the pretrial measure be changed to round-the-clock house arrest or that the bail amount be reduced.

Suprun herself stated that she has been in custody for 18 months and is unable to pay the nearly one million hryvnias in bail. According to her, her family lives in rented housing, and some of their property remains in areas affected by the occupation or hostilities.

The court, taking into account the lengthy period of detention and the fact that the pretrial investigation has been completed, set bail at 998,400 hryvnias as an alternative to detention.

If she posts bail, Suprun will be required to appear in court, not leave the locality without permission, report any change of residence or employment, refrain from contacting witnesses, surrender her passports for travel abroad, and wear an electronic monitoring device.

The court hearing was adjourned until October 22. The court did not proceed to the examination of evidence at this time.

Андрій Колісніченко