In search of collaborators. As in the liberated territories of Kharkiv region are looking for accomplices of occupiers

When I was detained, I was thrown into the basement, my girlfriend brought me a gear and heard at the gate, as the inhabitants were approached and asked to cooperate," - says focus. Maria from Balakliya, Kharkiv region. This settlement has recently been released from the Russian occupation as a result of the counter -offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "I knew many more than forty years, and for many, as it turned out," Mary continues.

"My neighbor, when she saw Russian tanks, began to shout that ours came. She was immediately made older on the street. She looked joyful all the time , I was pleased to work on them. Such as she was reported to those who did not get rid of the occupation. I had a friend who did not receive a pension because the mail did not work. She baked pizza and pizza, carried them on the market. She talked Pure Ukrainian is fundamentally. She was often bought by Russians.

She told them: "Why did you come here? Go to mothers to stay alive. "One of them leaned and said to her quietly," Grandma, it's better not to say. There are so many jackals in the city, we have not seen such a city yet. "Many were with bags on their heads - in the cellars. Mary managed to leave Balakliya. He says there is no desire to return yet. "It will be difficult to live with people near if you know that they are involved in denunciations," she explains.

Although Maria notes at the same time that many collaborators fled. "Here, for example," Volunteers "were recruited to the" City Military Police ", who wanted to help enemy soldiers. It was led by former Ukrainian police officer, deputy chief of Balakli district police department Oleg Kaida. Patriotic views, they were taken prisoner. They managed to escape during the offensive. But our husband managed to intercept.

Another so -called police officer - from a neighboring Verbivka, says Balakliya resident also went, and his family was exported. "They came to rumors that ours were going. The family drove two days earlier before Kupyansk. And then he came home, gathered things, had time to hide," Maria continues from Balakliy The invaders in the youth and sports sphere. When Balaklia was released, he did not have time. I was not paid anything. I worked on Balakliya. "He was arrested in the end.

In addition, some even had time to take Russian passports. One neighbor with such a passport threw a two -storey house here and went to Russia. " The local resident says that still "cleaning" continues in Balaklius - not only there is a demining, law enforcement officers are also looking for collaborators. In the recently liberated territories, law enforcement officials are looking for those who have rejoiced in Russia's arrival.

The Security Service of Ukraine creates new chatbots, where you can send information not only about those who have cooperated with the occupiers, but also about marauders and Internet agents that provide important information to the enemy or distribute pro-Russian content on social networks. Investigative bodies open criminal proceedings under Article 111 - collaboration. Under the occupation was part of the settlements of the Chuguev district.

Serhiy Lobodenko, Head of the Chuguev District State Administration of Kharkiv Region, says focus that it is too early to say how many people are suspected, what information about them is known. "Until we have the conclusions of the investigation - we cannot call a person a collaborator," says Lobodenko. "Some categories of persons went, but it is unknown in what direction: to Russia or Europe, their further fate is unknown.

Whether someone remained - only law enforcement agencies know, They are currently investigating and checking some people. " On September 15, the SBU representatives reported that the lists of all the collaborators of the Deookupovan Kharkiv region - their names were recorded in the registers of the Tax Service, 16 suspects have already been detained. Among them is Maria Oleg Kaida. The so -called police chief of the invaders in Balaklia was found on September 10 in Kupyansk Kharkiv region.

He tried to escape to LNR. In total, about 7,000 people have already checked in the released settlements of the region. In particular, those who have in a hurry to obtain "Russian passports". By February 24, legislators tried to avoid the words "collaboration".

For example, the head of the "servant of the people" faction David Arahamia stated that such a law violates the Constitution, and the CCU would be able to abolish it, and at that time the Viceremier-Minister on Reintegration This concept is not recognized as a legal category. But after a full -scale invasion, in March 2022, the relevant law was adopted in Ukraine. At the same time, a new article appeared in the Criminal Code - "Collaboration". The law has eight main points.

They are all that can be considered a collaboration (cooperation) with the occupiers. The following are more serious, from the point of view of the legislator, crimes and more punishment. But for receiving the Russian passport, there is no punishment in Ukraine yet. Even though some, for example, in the Vovchansk Kharkiv region, "documents" were voluntarily received. The first and last 15 passports were solemnly presented by the occupiers in the local house of culture on September 7.

Then one of the inhabitants by the name of Andrew commented publicly: "The first feelings - honestly, I do not believe, of course. The excitement was unreal. They were waiting, of course, waited, ants on the skin. The event is significant. As the second birthday. I have relatives there. From here. " On the same day, the Russian passport was received by Nicholas. Three days later, he was noticed at the station in Belgorod - he fled from Ukraine, fearing criminal prosecution.

At the same time, officials from time to time return to the topic of criminalization of passports. At least when they are received by civil servants or people who then urge Ukrainian citizens to follow their example. Lawyers pay attention to the fact that receiving passports of the aggressor state can often be forced.

Because Russia, both in the occupied Crimea and in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, pushed Russian passports - without them it was impossible to get a job, a school, to organize their business, to receive social payments and to pay for utilities. And in this case, such people should probably be considered not criminals, but victims of crimes, because a policy that was actively conducted in Crimea and in the Donbass can speak of forcible imposition of this citizenship.

Moreover, such actions of the occupier can be qualified as military crimes against these residents. The advocacy manager of the Center of Human Rights "Change" Elena Lunova says that the state cannot criminalize the receipt of passports, because it is contrary to a number of rules of international law and state policy pursued earlier.

"Criminalization began to be considered in response to Russia's intention to carry out illegal referendums to create the visibility of legalization of their presence. The authorities think that if our citizens accept the Russian passport, then they will go to the vote with him. But in the Crimea, ORDLOs imitated referendums before the beginning Forced certification policies.