Over 5000 cases of treason and collaboration opened, the Prosecutor General says

Up to 15 years and life imprisonment

 

By Willy Fautré

 

HRWF (17.05.2022) – On 13 May, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Irina Venediktova declared that  5,360 cases on treason and collaboration have been opened in Ukraine.

Among these cases, there may be

  • real traitors in the pay of the enemy
  • ideological collaborators
  • people who revealed information of military importance under torture or various forms of blackmail, such as threats on their families

Inquiries are carried out to determine if the suspects are traitors or collaborators or victims of coercion by the occupiers. The position of mayors and members of city or oblast councils in regions occupied by the Russian army is indeed sometimes difficult to clarify. In such cases, some thorough and objective investigation is needed to establish the truth.

A few cases under investigation:

 

About 20 People’s Deputies of Ukraine who are now abroad are wanted in Ukraine “for having previously shown a non-patriotic position.” This was announced at mid-March by the First Deputy Speaker Kornienko when after the adoption of the law on treason and collaboration with the enemy he was asked about the number of MPs having fled abroad.

 

Former People’s Deputy Ilya Kyva has been put on the international wanted list. Kivu is accused of treason, propaganda of war, encroachment on territorial integrity, calls for the seizure of state power and the spread of communist symbols. This was reported by the press service of the SBI.

 

“Strana” reported that the SBU is investigating the possible treason of ex-Nardep Svyatash, a former Ukrainian MP. He was said to be a candidate of the Russian Federation for the position of “gauleiter of Kharkiv”.

 

In the Luhansk region, four heads of communities sided with Russia: in Rubezhny, Milovoye, Markovka and Stanitsa Luganskaya. In a video, the mayor of Rubezhny, Sergey Hortiv, called Ukrainian servicemen “fascists” and declared the local residents had been victims of genocide by the Ukrainian army. Hortiv was elected mayor of Rubezhny from the “Our Land” opposition party, the leader of which is People’s Deputy Shakhov.

 

The mayor of Buryn Viktor Ladukh, in Sumy region, his deputy and another member of the city council are under suspicion of collaboration with the enemy. According to the prosecutor’s office, the officials cooperated with the Russian Federation during the temporary occupation of Sumy region. This is reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

 

A trio of suspects during the capture of the Buryn community by Russian troops agreed to cooperate with the aggressor state. They are charged with cooperation with the enemy and material support for its armed groups.

 

In Kharkiv region, the head of Stary Saltov, Eduard Konovalov and the secretary of the Olkhovatsky Village Council Nadezhda Antonova are under suspicion of high treason.

 

The SBU reported suspicion of treason to the head of the shift of the Azovstal plant, who was accused of “surrendering” the scheme of underground tunnels to the enemy at the enterprise where the Ukrainian military keeps defense. This was reported by the press service of the SBU.

 

In the Nikolaev area, SBU special forces installed and detained a fire corrector who helped the enemy artillery damage the “Nikolaev Armored Plant”.

 

In an unrevealed location, the Security Service of Ukraine arrested a hacker who provided sensitive information to Russian occupiers. The SBU established that in one day up to a thousand calls passed through this hacker. A significant part of them were from the top leadership of the Russian army.

The accused of treason and collaboration face punishment of imprisonment for up to 15 years with confiscation of property. Procedural management is carried out by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

 

At mid-March, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed two bills on criminal liability for cooperation with Russia: Bills No. 5143 and No. 5144. They prescribe terms of up to 15 years and life imprisonment.

 

Treason and willful collaboration by Ukrainian citizens with military forces illegally occupying the country are very serious offences against the security and the sovereignty of the country. Such activities result in the destruction of Ukrainian defence and civilian facilities, the shelling of housing, the killing of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 

Photo credits: Facebook