The SSU and the State Bureau of Investigations have collected evidence against an official of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine who left the unit at the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion and joined the occupiers.

In June this year, the traitor was captured by Ukrainian defenders during combat near Neskuchne village, Donetsk region.

According to the investigation, the border guard had served as the chief of the rocket and artillery unit of Novotroitske rapid response border commandant’s office in Donetsk oblast.

However, in early March 2022, he arbitrarily left his place of service and fled to the temporarily occupied Nikolske, Mariupol district, where his relatives live.

There, the man was ‘interviewed’ by the russian intelligence services and the command of russian regular troops and agreed to the ‘offer’ to join the occupation ‘DNR ministry of internal affairs’.

After that, the traitor directly participated in warfare against Ukraine’s Defence Forces on the southern front.

The investigation documented that the ‘serviceman’ had occupied firing positions near fortifications and checkpoints, which were supposed to restrain the advance of Ukrainian troops on Mariupol direction.

Based on the collected evidence, the former border guard has been served a notice of suspicion under two Articles of the CCU:

• 111.2 (high treason committed under martial law);
• 408.4 (desertion committed under martial law).

The suspect is in custody, facing life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The investigation is carried out by the SSU Office in Donetsk and Luhansk regions jointly with the SBI under the procedural supervision of Luhansk Specialized Defence Prosecutor’s Office.