Death of five soldiers in Izium region: assistant forester who led occupiers to Ukrainian Armed Forces positions to stand trial – Office of Prosecutor General. PHOTO
Prosecutors have referred to court a case of treason that led to the deaths of Ukrainian servicemen in the Kharkiv region.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to Censor.NET.
Gained the trust of the soldiers
As noted, the accused is a 37-year-old assistant forester at the state-owned enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’, who in the spring of 2022, during the occupation of the Izium region, helped Russian troops set up an ambush on Ukrainian defenders.
The man gained the trust of fighters from one of the territorial defence brigades. He offered to help with navigation in the forest, demonstrated routes of movement and assured them that he could help with setting up positions.
Subsequently, it was he who offered the Ukrainian military a house in the village of Spivakivka to live in, and also helped with their accommodation within the forestry area. At the same time, he was passing information to the enemy and preparing the ground for an attack.
Ambush
In April 2022, the defendant led a representative of the Russian forces into the forestry area to the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There, the occupiers installed a concealed electronic tracking device. Upon learning of the planned departure of Ukrainian soldiers, the man directed the driver along a supposedly safe route. He had agreed this route in advance with the Russian military to set up an ambush.
On 17 April 2022, a vehicle carrying Ukrainian soldiers came under attack. As a result of the ambush, five soldiers were killed, two more were wounded and taken prisoner. The others were forced to retreat.
It has been established that the accused was alongside Russian soldiers during the attack and observed its course. After the attack, he helped the occupiers carry the captured Ukrainian weapons and navigate the terrain using maps.
Propaganda post
Later, a post appeared on one of the pro-Russian Telegram channels featuring photographs of wounded Ukrainian soldiers and the accused himself. The post claimed that it had been published at his request – "to inspire those who support russia in Ukraine".
One of the Ukrainian soldiers, who had returned from captivity, identified the man in the photo during the investigation as someone who had collaborated with the occupiers.
What are the consequences
In January 2026, law enforcement officers arrested the suspect at his home in Spivakivka. The court ordered him to be remanded in custody.
The prosecutor of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office approved and referred to court an indictment for high treason committed under martial law (Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The case will be heard by the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kharkiv. The defendant faces life imprisonment.
