Based on the evidence collected by the SSU, former MP and Kherson City Council deputy Volodymyr Saldo was sentenced to imprisonment. The offender is facilitating russia’s armed aggression and promotion of the kremlin regime in the temporarily occupied territories of southern Ukraine.

The trial was held in a special court proceeding in absentia (in the absence of the accused).

Following the SSU’s investigation, the court sentenced him to a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. Current legislation does not provide for life imprisonment for criminals who are over the age of 60.

In addition, the offender was deprived of the right to hold positions related to organizational, administrative, and management functions at enterprises, institutions and organizations of any form of ownership for a period of 15 years.

According to the investigation, Saldo was one of the first who publicly supported russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

During Kherson’s temporary occupation, he took part in the creation of the local occupation administration and later headed it.

As the so-called ‘governor’ of the region, Saldo facilitated the movement of russian troops to the southern front, in particular by road and rail.

He was also involved in developing logistics infrastructure for the occupation groups in the region. To do this, he ‘reorganized’ the work of local healthcare institutions into military hospitals, and turned educational institutions into barracks.

In addition, the traitor organized the sham referendum on the region’s joining russia and coordinated the falsification of its results.

Prior to Kherson’s liberation, Saldo, together with the russian invaders and their henchmen, fled to the left-bank part of the region.

There, he continues to head the occupation administration and promote the kremlin’s aggressive policies.

Based on the evidence collected, the court found Saldo guilty under three articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (high treason committed under martial law)
• 111-1.5 (collaboration);
• 436-2.1 (justification, recognition of the legitimacy, denial of the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants).

The term of the sentence shall start after his actual detention.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Office in Kherson region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.