KHARKIV OBLAST, UKRAINE, Apr 22 — The Security Service of Ukraine has issued a notice of suspicion to a resident of Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, accused of working for the Russian occupation police, reported SBU spokesman Vladyslav Abdula.

According to the investigation, after the Russian occupation of Izium, the man received a “position” in an illegal law enforcement agency — the so-called “people’s police”.

Abdula notes that, initially, the Russians offered the suspect to head the department for combating drug trafficking, and later, he was promoted and appointed acting head of the Izium Police Department No. 2.

“Holding a pseudo-position, the offender was on duty at checkpoints, where he checked citizens’ documents and inspected vehicles, participated in illegal searches of residents. He also interrogated residents to obtain the necessary information for the occupation administration,” added the SBU spokesman.

Abdula adds that the suspect agitated for cooperation with Russians and personally selected candidates for work in the illegal law enforcement. On the eve of the deoccupation of Izium, the man fled with Russians and is currently in hiding.

SBU investigators issued the resident of Izium a notice of suspicion in absentia under Part 7 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (collaboration). He faces imprisonment for a term of 12 to 15 years.

Since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 1,000 people in the Kharkiv Oblast have been issued a notice of suspicion in proceedings over treason, collaboration, and dissemination of information about the movement of the Armed Forces.

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