Larysa Bohomolova Convicted of Treason
A former Ukrainian judge, Larysa Bohomolova, has been handed a 15-year prison term and had her assets confiscated for passing sensitive information to Russian forces. She provided details on troop movements in the Donetsk region and collaborated with occupation authorities. The sentence was delivered in connection with her actions amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
Bohomolova began working with Russian intelligence in the spring of 2022, shortly after the city of Berdyansk fell under occupation. She established contact with a representative of Russia's security services and started cooperating with the enemy. Over time, she collected and handed over data on Ukrainian military movements in Donetsk Oblast, specifically regarding the Azov special forces unit. Additionally, she shared information about court employees and medical staff in Berdyansk who remained loyal to Ukraine, and even pressured her colleagues to collaborate with the occupying regime.
Actions and Consequences
Among her activities, she also helped staff a fake emergency ministry unit set up by the Russians. Later, Bohomolova moved to territory controlled by Ukraine and became the head of a district court in Poltava Oblast, continuing to serve as a judge. However, in May 2023, law enforcement uncovered her activities, arrested her, and charged her with high treason. That same year, the High Council of Justice dismissed her from her position.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kryvenko stated: 'She knew what she was doing. Betraying her oath to the Ukrainian people was a conscious choice. Now it is time to answer. And the same will happen to anyone, in a judge's robe or not, who works for the enemy.'
This case is not isolated in the context of wartime betrayal. A resident of Volyn was also sentenced to eight years in prison for treason after cooperating with Russia's FSB while in Poland and passing intelligence to them. Polish authorities, meanwhile, have accused a Russian couple of spying and preparing acts of sabotage.
The trial of Larysa Bohomolova highlights a broader issue of collaboration among Ukrainian citizens during the war with Russia. Such acts of betrayal, especially by those in high-ranking positions, undermine national security and can erode public trust in state institutions. At the same time, these convictions serve as a warning that working with the enemy will not go unpunished.
The issue of espionage during wartime is not limited to high-profile cases like that of Larysa Bohomolova. Another recent example involves a Ukrainian man who received an eight-year sentence for collaborating with Russia's FSB while residing in Poland. Such incidents highlight the pervasive threat of betrayal and the serious legal repercussions for those who choose to aid the enemy. To learn more about this case and its implications, read our detailed report on a Ukrainian man sentenced for espionage in Poland.