Ukraine's Security Service exposes three residents of Kherson who directed Russian strikes on residential buildings

Monday, 23 October 2023, 11:00

A group of Russian proxies has been exposed in Kherson; they had been directing Russian weapons at residential buildings in the city.

Source: press service of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU); press service of the Kherson Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Details: The investigation found that the group had been organised by a former entrepreneur who, after the city had been captured, defected to the Russians. The suspect got a job as a technician at the sham Russian-created "Kherson Railway of Russia", providing technological works for trains carrying Russian military equipment.

The traitor went into hiding for a while after the city was liberated. The man entered into contact with a Russian representative from the Russian-occupied left bank of Kherson Oblast on his own initiative in July 2023 and received a task from the latter.

On the instructions of the Russians, the offender established a group of informants, which involved two pro-Russian residents of Kherson, particularly his sister and another acquaintance. One of the Russian proxies participated in filming staged stories for the Russian Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti during the Russian occupation of the city.

PHOTO: PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

Once the criminal group was founded, its members engaged in determining the coordinates of densely populated and residential areas in Kherson. They also sought to identify the key points of deployment and routes of movement of the Ukrainian Defence Forces in the city and its suburbs.

They sent text messages to the Russians via Telegram and communicated through calls.

A search of their residences revealed binoculars, mobile phones and computers. The law enforcers also seized pro-Kremlin symbols and Russian roubles, which the traitors obtained for their cooperation with the Russians.

Quote from SSU: "It was using their coordinates that the occupiers completely destroyed two private residential buildings and damaged five more in the city at the end of September this year.

About 10 civilians sustained injuries of varying severity in the enemy bombardment."

More details: The leader of the Russian-aligned group was served with a notice of suspicion under Article 111.22 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason under martial law). He faces life imprisonment.

Two of his accomplices face charges under 114-2.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorised dissemination of information on the movement of weapons).

The SSU reports that all the perpetrators have been remanded in custody. Meanwhile, the prosecutor's office says one person is in custody, while the issue concerning the others is being resolved.

The prosecutor's office confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that only one defendant had had a pre-trial restriction measure imposed upon them as of the morning.

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