SBU neutralises anti-Ukrainian "underground" in Kherson

This was reported by the SBU press service.

It was according to their coordinates that at the end of September this year, the occupants completely destroyed two private residential houses in the regional centre and damaged five more. As a result of enemy shelling, about 10 civilians received injuries of varying severity," the report said.

The investigation established the organiser and leader of the anti-Ukrainian underground. This is a former businessman, who after the capture of the city went to the side of the enemy. During the occupation, the man got a job as a "master" in the occupation "Kherson railway of the Russian Federation", where he carried out technological work for the movement of echelons with Russian military equipment. During his co-operation with the occupants he was recruited by the FSB.

On the instructions of the aggressor, he created his own group of informants, to which he attracted two pro-Russian residents of the regional centre. One of them took part in filming staged stories for the Kremlin's mouthpiece RIA Novosti during the seizure of the city," the SBU said.

The traitors were interested in the coordinates of dense buildings and places of residence of citizens on the territory of Kherson, as well as the main locations and routes of movement of the Defence Forces in and around the city.

They also informed the enemy about the evacuation of civilians in Kherson region. The informers sent text messages via Telegram and made phone calls.

It is now known to the investigators that they corrected more than one enemy shelling on the regional centre, as a result of which civilians were injured.

What now

• The leader of the hostile group is reported on suspicion under part 2 of article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
• 2 of his accomplices are suspected under part 2 of article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.