A resident of the village of Kamyanka Vitaliy Kukol is being tried in the Trostyanets court in the Sumy region — he is accused of illegally manufacturing and storing firearms. This happened at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, Suspilne.Sumy reports.
According to the plot, the man made weapons for self-defense because he was going to defend his native village from the Russian invaders. In November last year, "Suspilne.Sumy" already made a story about Kukol, who told how he mined the road between the then-occupied Trostyanets and Kamyanka, brought people out of the occupation and cooperated with the 93rd "Kholodnyi Yar" brigade.
Currently, he is charged with the article "Illegal handling of weapons", if his guilt is proven, Kukol faces up to seven years in prison. The man does not admit guilt. He says that after the end of the war, he wanted to hand over homemade weapons to the museum, and he made them to protect the village and his fellow villagers.
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets reacted to the incident and stated that Vitaliy Kukol conscientiously fulfilled his duty as a citizen of Ukraine, and instead ended up on the dock. He cited Article 17 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which says: "Protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, ensuring its economic and informational security are the most important functions of the state, the business of the entire Ukrainian people."
"I am taking this case under personal control and will take all appropriate measures to protect human rights, because common sense and justice must prevail!" emphasized the ombudsman.
The next court session in the case of Kukol will be held on August 22. Until then, the evidence will be examined.