Law enforcement officers have served a notice of suspicion of treason and collaboration to the former mayor of Vovchansk, who faces life imprisonment. This was reported by the press service of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, UNN reports .
The head of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office served the 67-year-old former mayor of Vovchansk with a notice of suspicion under three articles: high treason committed under martial law (Article 111(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), collaboration (Article 111-1(5) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), and recognition of the temporary occupation of a part of the territory of Ukraine by an official (Article 436-2(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
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It is noted that in November 2020, the defendant was elected mayor of Volchansk. According to the investigation, during the seizure of the city by the Russian military, he voluntarily took the position of "head of the Volchansk territorial department of the Temporary Civil Administration of the Volchansk district of Kharkiv region".
In his pseudo-position, the suspect managed the city under the auspices of the Russian Federation and resolved issues of the so-called "social protection of the population," including labor relations, employment, payment of wages, pensions, etc.
Later, when he fled to the Belgorod region of Russia, he even managed to give an interview to the enemy media. The traitor thanked Russia for "accepting him as a native". He added: "I consider the Kharkiv region of the Russian Federation to be my homeland." In addition, the suspect did not stay away from Kremlin propaganda, adding theses about "one brotherly people and enlightenment in the minds of Ukrainians.
The prosecutor's office also emphasizes that the defendant has repeatedly changed his views. Thus, on March 4, 2022, he said that he did not support the Russian Federation: "When they came in, they took the flag from my office and removed me from the city council. But they didn't tear my heart out or take away my conscience. We have been and remain pro-Ukrainian.
The suspect is currently on the wanted list. He faces life imprisonment for his crimes.