MP of Ukraine and a collaborator Oleksiy Kovaliov, who is in the occupied Kherson oblast, helped the Russians organize the export of salt and grain from the oblast.
This was reported by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova on July 7.
"At the beginning of the occupation, he went to Kherson Oblast to allegedly work with voters and protect his business from looters, which he cannot engage in during parliamentary activities. We have evidence that the peopleʼs elected official organized the export of salt and grain to the Russian Federation. "Conserve" opened with an FB post where he admired plans for the full-scale integration of Kherson oblast farmers into the economic model of the Russian Federation and insisted that "Russia is forever." Actually, the invaders put him to do this in the occupying body in the pseudo-position of "deputy head of the government of Kherson oblast", which he now holds," said Venediktova.
She said that the collaborators serve the Russians in different ways: some "surrender" Ukrainian activists, law enforcement officers and combatants, some help deploy Russian military equipment, some change flags at authorities, some supply fuel and food to the occupiers. Volodymyr Saldo, the "governor" of the Kherson oblast, is among the most active.
Suspicions already have:
- "head" of the Kherson city administration;
- "head" of the Chulakivka village;
- "head" of the city of Kakhovka;
- "Head" of the Department of Education and Science of the Military-Civil Administration of the Kherson Oblast;
- the "head" of the administration of penal institutions of the Kherson oblast;
- "head" of the Fish Inspectorate of Henichesk district;
- "deputy chief" of the Nova Kakhovka police department.
Since the beginning of the war, 457 people have been abducted or disappeared in Kherson oblast. Among them are the mayors of the cities of Kakhovka, Tavriysk, Skadovsk, Hola Prystan, Beryslav; the village heads of Novooleksandrivka, Bekhterska and Mylivska amalgamated communities, the head of the Chornobayivka settlement council and his deputy, the elders of the villages of Stara Zburiivka, Zmiivka and Osokorivka, the secretary of the Novokakhovka city council, 17 members of the regional and local councils, 43 law enforcement officers and two clergymen.
- On July 6, Oleksiy Kovaliov was informed of suspicion of treason and aiding the aggressor state. He faces a sentence of up to 15 years or life imprisonment, with confiscation of property.
- On July 4, Kovaliov received the position of "deputy chairman for agriculture" in the occupation government of the Kherson oblast.
- On June 22, in the occupied part of Kherson oblast, in the city of Hola Prystan, an attempt was made on Kovaliov — his car was blown up. The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, confirmed that a "certain action" had been taken against Kovaliov. Later, he appeared on video and declared about "sabotage by the Ukrainian special services."