Former SBU Colonel Kryzhanovskyi has been charged with treason
This has been reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to the investigation, following the start of the full-scale invasion, Valentin Kryzhanovskyi was in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kyiv region — in Borodianka and Ivankiv.
Investigators believe that whilst there, he voluntarily collaborated with the Russian military, detained local residents, conducted interrogations, took part in so-called ‘filtration operations’ and threatened people.
Furthermore, according to law enforcement, Kryzhanovskyi gathered information on the deployment locations of Ukrainian military personnel, including members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, participants in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), the National Guard and fighters from the ‘Azov’ battalion.
What, according to the investigation, he said during the occupation
The indictment states that Kryzhanovskyi sought to convince local residents of the legitimacy of Russia’s actions, repeated claims about an alleged ‘coup d’état’ in Ukraine and denied the crimes committed by Russian military personnel.
Following the de-occupation of the Kyiv region, the investigation claims, the former SBU colonel travelled to Moscow. He subsequently found himself in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region.
The ‘Azovstal’ episode
A separate episode concerns Mariupol. According to the investigation, from 1 to 19 May 2022, Kryzhanovskyi was on the premises of the Azovstal plant, where he met with the leadership of the Azov battalion.
The investigation believes that he advised Ukrainian military personnel to lay down their arms, cease resistance and surrender to the Russians. He is also accused of raising the Soviet flag over one of the plant’s buildings.
What is known about Valentin Kryzhanovsky
Valentin Kryzhanovsky previously served in the Security Service of Ukraine. In June 2005, he was dismissed from the SBU on health grounds.
Following his dismissal, he was suspected of abuse of office. He was subsequently charged with the illegal sale of a consignment of zirconium and hafnium.
According to media reports, in 2005 Kryzhanovsky, together with the director of the company involved in the metal sale, demanded $100,000 from a man, threatening him with physical violence.
After a criminal case was opened, Kryzhanovsky remained on an international wanted list for over three years. In the summer of 2006, he was arrested in Tver, Russia, but was not handed over to Ukraine.
In 2009, he was arrested in Ukraine after he turned himself in to the Office of the Prosecutor General. At the same time, he had sought political asylum in Russia, obtained a Russian passport as a former citizen of the USSR, and applied for a Russian pension.
What does a charge of treason mean?
Under martial law, treason is one of the most serious crimes against the foundations of national security. If Kryzhanovsky is found guilty in court, he could face a long prison sentence or life imprisonment.
At present, this is merely a suspicion. The final legal assessment of the former SBU colonel’s actions must be made by the court.
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