By KYIV. Nov 22 (Interfax-Ukraine) – During the stabilization measures in Kherson, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained a representative of the so-called election commission, who forced people to vote in favor of joining the region to Russia at the sham referendum organized by the occupation forces, the SBU has said.
"The collaborator detained by the SBU collected ‘votes’ for a fake plebiscite. He went around multi-apartment buildings in one of the city districts and called on people to vote for the Kremlin project. In case of disagreement, the perpetrator threatened citizens with physical violence and called armed occupiers, who stayed ‘on duty’ near the entrance [of the multi-apartment building] for ‘help’," the SBU said in the Telegram channel on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the collaborator handed over the ‘ballots’ signed at gunpoint to the local occupation administration for further falsification of the results of the fake plebiscite.
According to the investigation, the detainee was a local resident who, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, supported the invaders and cooperated with them, for which he was appointed to a position with a monetary allowance at the expense of the aggressor.
SBU investigators notified the perpetrator of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 5 of Article 111-1 (collaborative activity, participation in the organization and holding of illegal elections and/or referenda in the temporarily occupied territory, committed by a group of persons in collusion) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
"The court selected a measure of restraint in the form of detention," the SBU said.
