Based on the evidence collected by the SSU, Valentyna Chekhova, an ophthalmologist of a medical institution in temporarily occupied Mariupol who sided with the enemy, has been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment.

During the battles for the city in March 2022, the woman surrendered to ruscists seven severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers who were hospitalized at the facility where she worked.

According to the investigation, this happened after the seizure of the building, when a group of invaders led by a russian with the call sign ‘Osetin’ tried to find Defence Forces servicemen among the patients.

Aware of a threat to Ukrainian defenders, the hospital staff had destroyed their uniforms and IDs in advance.

The wounded men were registered as civilian patients who had suffered as a result of intense shelling of the city.

However, Chekhova showed the beds with the Ukrainian soldiers to the occupiers during hospital ‘rounds’.

The ruscists imprisoned the severely wounded defenders and took them to a russian torture chamber, where they were subjected to brutal torture.

The SSU also found out that the traitor had betrayed one of the doctors who tried to save the wounded servicemen and had given his name to ‘Osetin’.

The occupiers took the man’s documents and car and threatened to prepare him for a ‘slow death’.

However, the doctor managed to escape during a change of russian invaders guarding the hospital perimeter.

For her cooperation with the occupiers, Chekhova was appointed the ophthalmology department head in the seized medical institution.

Based on the evidence collected, the court found the accused guilty under Article 111.2 of the CCU (high treason, committed under martial law) and sentenced her in absentia to life imprisonment.

As the traitor is in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, efforts are underway to bring her to justice.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Office in Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the procedural supervision of Donetsk Region Prosecutor’s Office.