The SSU has detained a member of the Kherson Regional Council in connection with an investigation into collaboration with the occupying forces
The Security Service of Ukraine has reported the arrest of four individuals suspected of collaborating with Russian occupation forces in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kakhovka district on the left bank of the Kherson region.
Those implicated include a member of the Kherson Regional Council, as well as three local businessmen. According to the investigation, they are a married couple who run agricultural enterprises and the director of one of them.
The SSU stated that the councillor owns two Ukrainian enterprises in the fields of transport maintenance and cereal cultivation.
During the occupation, he re-registered the enterprises under the legislation of the Russian Federation and continued their operations under the control of the occupying administration, paying taxes to the Russian Federation’s budget.
The investigation believes that the MP, together with other suspects, organised the operations of agricultural enterprises in the Kakhovka district. In particular, he obtained permits for land cultivation, ensured the supply of fuel and the hiring of workers, and also handled the registration of vehicles and agricultural machinery with Russian authorities.
Furthermore, according to the SSU, he oversaw the submission of reports to the occupying authorities.
In turn, the couple who owned the agricultural business and the company’s director, according to the investigation, submitted applications to the occupying ‘Ministry of Agrarian Policy, Food Policy and Fisheries of the Kherson Region’ for over 5 million roubles in subsidies from the Russian authorities.
The SSU reported that this year the MP left the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region for Odesa, where he was detained by security service officers.
He was notified of the charges against him under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 4 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He is currently in custody.
Three other individuals involved in the case have been charged in absentia under similar articles. According to the SSU, they are located on the temporarily occupied left bank of the Kherson region.
The investigation was carried out by officers of the SSU Directorate in the Kherson region under the procedural supervision of the regional prosecutor’s office.
