The court handed down a verdict to former lecturer of Kherson National Technical University Olena Yakymchuk, who during the occupation of the city headed a department at the seized university.
This is stated in the corresponding court decision.
The investigation found that in the summer of 2022 Yakymchuk voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the occupiers. She assumed the position of head of the Department of Design at the illegally created Kherson Technical University, which the Russians set up on the basis of the Ukrainian KNTU.
In this position the woman was engaged in organizing the educational process according to Russian standards. In particular, she personally taught students art history and introduction to the profession in Russian, and also selected personnel to work in the occupation-run institution.
In addition, Yakymchuk was responsible for the ideological upbringing of young people. She initiated the creation of the so-called Union of Young Designers and organized the creation of a mural in Henichesk that glorified the Russian annexation of the Kherson region.
She also took part in propaganda events, appeared in the occupiers’ media, and received awards from Russian ministries for her activity.
After the liberation of Kherson, Yakymchuk continued to work in occupied Henichesk, where she ensured the department’s operation in accordance with Russian law.
Having examined the evidence, the court in absentia found Olena Yakymchuk guilty of collaborationist activities (part 3 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). She was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment.
Recall, earlier this year another former KhNTU lecturer Hanna Tikhosova received a sentence for assisting the aggressor state and collaborationist activities. She headed the seized Kherson Maritime Academy.