Kherson Appeals Court Ruling
The Kherson Court of Appeal has sentenced a woman to a term of imprisonment for justifying the armed aggression of the Russian Federation during an interview she gave to media outlets operating under the occupation. The interview took place in Kherson on September 24, 2022, and was published on the Telegram channel 'Main News in Kherson and the Region'. The ongoing legal proceedings resulted in the overturning of a previous, more lenient sentence. This case highlights the legal consequences for public expressions of support for the Russian invasion within occupied territories.
Initially, in June 2025, the woman was sentenced to two years of probation. However, a prosecutor appealed the decision, arguing it was insufficiently severe. The appellate court agreed with the appeal's arguments and issued a new verdict, sentencing her to two years of actual imprisonment. It is notable that the woman did not admit her guilt.
Context of Events in Kherson
During the pre-trial investigation, the woman was under restrictive measures in the form of house arrest and a personal commitment. In her statements, she remarked:
"I believe, I am simply sure, that we will have peace, we are under the protection of a great state, an Orthodox one, just like us, we are one people—Ukraine, Belarus, Russia—and of course I am sure, we link our future with Russia and with Belarus, one Orthodox people."
In another comment, she asserted that "maybe they misunderstand, they think that we were captured, our Ukraine, but still here there is a struggle against the oligarchs."
In the context of events in Kherson, it is relevant to mention the appointment of Viktoriia Lukashova as deputy governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast for information policy, as well as the suspicion announced by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) against the 'deputy minister' of the occupation government in Kherson Oblast. Furthermore, the former Russian-installed head of Kherson, Kobets, received his sentence after illegally leaving Ukraine in March 2022 to lead the occupation administration of Kherson.
Thus, the case of the woman who justified Russian aggression stands as further evidence of Ukraine's legal efforts to uphold its laws during the ongoing war. This ruling is a significant step in the context of combating collaboration and underscores the efforts of Ukrainian law enforcement to counter aggression. The situation in Kherson and the actions of the occupation administration remain a focus of attention, indicating the region's instability and the critical role of the judiciary in ensuring security and justice in Ukraine.