Ukrainian sentenced to 12 years for managing occupied horse farm in Luhansk region

Court verdict for aiding occupiers

The court handed down a verdict against a Ukrainian citizen who, in September 2022, voluntarily agreed to manage a horse farm seized by Russian invaders in the Luhansk region. His activities were classified as aiding the aggressor state under Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

As established by the investigation, after being appointed to the position, the man initiated and organised the re-registration of the enterprise in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation. This facilitated the transfer of Ukrainian state assets under the control of the occupation administration, whereas previously the facility had operated as a branch of the state enterprise "Konyarstvo Ukrainy" (Horse Breeding of Ukraine).

Transfer of assets to invaders' control

Due to illegal re-registration, the structure created by representatives of the occupation authorities under the name "state unitary enterprise LNR 'Derkul Horse Farm No. 63'" gained the ability to use the factory's property. The list of assets that came under the aggressor's control included production premises, specialised equipment, vehicles, and land plots. These resources were subsequently used to meet the needs of the occupation administration.

The results of the conducted expert examinations confirmed that such actions caused financial losses to the Ukrainian state enterprise amounting to millions of hryvnia.

Punishment and circumstances of the case review

Since the defendant was not present at the hearings, the criminal proceedings were reviewed under special judicial proceedings. As a result of the review, the court sentenced the man to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Additionally, the court prohibited the convicted person from holding positions involving the performance of organisational-managerial or administrative-economic duties for 12 years.

Previously, the owner of a Luhansk enterprise was detained in Kyiv, who is also suspected of aiding the aggressor state. According to the investigation, her company carried out work for structures of the occupation authorities in the Luhansk region.