Kharkiv region's SBU department ex-head Dudin to stand trial on charges of treason – SBI

KYIV. March 20 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Officers of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) have completed a pretrial investigation against the former head of the Ukrainian State Security Service (SBU) in Kharkiv region, Roman Dudin.

According to the SBI press service, he is suspected of high treason and committing criminal offenses against the established order of military service. The accused faces life imprisonment.

“It has been established that on the eve of February 24, 2022, the former official knew about the high probability of launching a full-scale offensive against the territory of Ukraine by the Russian armed forces. But instead of organizing work to counter the enemy, he actually engaged in sabotage,” the SBI said.

As noted, believing that the offensive of the invaders would be successful and hoping that this would be taken into account by the occupying authorities of Russia, the head of the special service of the border region “engaged in subversive activities against Ukraine, which damaged the defense capability and state security.”

“In particular, he organized an attempt to remove the head of Kharkiv regional state (military) administration from fulfilling his duties. The purpose of this act was to prevent the head of the administration from taking the necessary measures of the legal regime of martial law and an attempt to seize state power in the region,” the bureau said.

They said that through the media, the defendant discredited the current authorities of Kharkiv and the region, providing false information, and also tried to paralyze the security agencies of the region – for this, he prevented the functioning of a unified command and control system for the security forces and the defense forces of the region.

“In addition, he deliberately failed to ensure the fulfilment of the tasks assigned to the SBU in Kharkiv region and, in the absence of any legal grounds, ordered the personnel of the SBU in Kharkiv region to leave the administrative premises of the SBU and the territory of Kharkiv. He deliberately created conditions for the handing over to the enemy of weapons, ammunition, means of combat operations, personal protective equipment for military personnel stored in the administrative building of the SBU in Kharkiv region,” the law enforcers said.

They said the accused, under martial law, also arbitrarily left the place of service without good reason.

“The former head of the SBU in Kharkiv region is suspected of committing criminal offenses under part 2 of article 111 (high treason), part 5 of article 407 (arbitrarily leaving a military unit or place of service), part 4 of article 402 (disobedience) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He faces life imprisonment. After the defense side gets acquainted, the case will be taken to court,” the SBI said.

From March 2020 to May 2022, Kharkiv regional department of the SBU was headed by Dudin. On May 29, in his video address after a visit to Kharkiv region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the dismissal of Dudin from his post.

After his dismissal, Dudin said on his Facebook page he was ready to take a polygraph to prove his innocence.