11 years in prison for organizing sports leisure of occupiers: director of stadium in Kupiansk sentenced
The director of the Spartak stadium in Kupiansk, who organized sports activities for Russian soldiers during the occupation of the city, was sentenced for aiding the enemy.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.
"Following a public prosecution by prosecutors of the Kupiansk District Prosecutor's Office in Kharkiv region, the court found the 67-year-old man guilty of aiding the aggressor state (Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). He was sentenced to 11 years in prison with the deprivation of the right to hold senior positions in local government for a period of 11 years and confiscation of property," the statement said.
What crime did the official commit?
Prosecutors proved that during the seizure of Kupiansk by the Russian armed forces, the head of the local stadium supported representatives of the aggressor state. From April to September 2022, acting as a "director", the man moderated mass sports and cultural events with a propaganda focus for the new "government".
In particular, in July, the collaborator organized a football tournament dedicated to the Day of the Russian Navy, which was attended by the "head" of the so-called "CMA of Kharkiv region".
In December 2022, law enforcement officers exposed and detained an enemy accomplice. He was awaiting trial in custody.
During the trial, the defendant pleaded not guilty and stated that his actions during the occupation of the city were primarily aimed at preserving the property entrusted to him.
Sentencing of the suspect
The guilty verdict was handed down by the Novomoskovsk City District Court of Dnipropetrovsk Region. The verdict did not enter into force: the defense, disagreeing with the qualification of the crime, appealed the verdict. In their turn, prosecutors insist on a more severe punishment for the enemy accomplice. The appeal against the verdict of the court of first instance is currently underway.
