Former Kherson gauleiter convicted in absentia: what was the sentence?
2 January 17:16
The court sentenced the former mayor of Kherson Oleksandr Kobets to life in prison. His case was considered in absentia.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the Security Service of Ukraine on Telegram.
According to law enforcement, before the full-scale Russian invasion, Kobets lived in Kyiv, where he was engaged in commerce. He had close ties to Russia.
In March 2022, he traveled abroad and arrived in the then-occupied Kherson via third countries. There, the Russians appointed him the head of the occupation administration and instructed him to spread the Kremlin regime.
“Having received the ‘position’, Kobets immediately began preparing a pseudo-referendum on the region’s accession to the Russian Federation. The gauleiter also introduced Russian legislation in the seized communal and social institutions, including schools, hospitals and kindergartens,” the SBU said.
He coordinated his activities with the governor of Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo, and curators from Moscow.
Law enforcement officers clarified that shortly after his appointment, Kobets was “demoted” and sent to Genichesk to establish the activities of fake Russian authorities.
As a result, the court found the traitor guilty of high treason and collaboration. In addition to a life sentence, the court also ordered the confiscation of Kobets’ property.
As a reminder, in 2023, the Malynovskyi District Court of Odesa sentenced Volodymyr Saldo, the governor of Kherson Oblast, to 15 years in prison.
He was also found guilty of treason and collaboration.
Saldo was also banned from holding positions related to organizational, administrative and economic powers.
