Mariupol doctor sentenced to life imprisonment for 'surrendering' AFU soldiers to the enemy

Valentina Chekhova, an ophthalmologist at a medical institution in temporarily occupied Mariupol, who defected to the enemy, has been given life imprisonment in absentia. This is reported by the SBU.

During the fighting for Mariupol in March 2022, the doctor "surrendered" to the occupants seven seriously wounded soldiers of the AFU, who were hospitalised in the local hospital where she worked.

According to the investigation, this happened after the seizure of the medical facility, when a group of invaders led by a Russian military officer with the call sign "Ossetin" tried to find Defence Forces soldiers among the patients.

Aware of this threat to the Ukrainian defenders, the medical staff of the hospital destroyed their uniforms, documents and military ammunition in advance. After that, the wounded Mariupol defenders were registered as civilian patients who suffered as a result of intense fighting in the city," the SBU said.

However, Chekhova during a "ward" round of the medical facility together with the occupants showed them the beds on which the AFU soldiers were lying. After that, the occupiers took the severely wounded Ukrainian defenders to the Russian torture cells, where they used brutal torture on them.

It was also established that in addition to members of the Defence Forces, the traitor pointed out to "Ossetin" one of the doctors who tried to save the wounded soldiers.

Having learnt about it, the occupants took away the man's documents, car and threatened to prepare for "slow death". At the last moment he managed to escape during the change of "sentries", which were put out by the Russian invaders on the perimeter of the medical centre," the SBU said.

According to the investigation, for her cooperation with the occupiers, the accomplice received "encouragement" in the form of "appointment as head of the ophthalmology department" of the seized hospital.

Based on the collected evidence, the court found Chekhova guilty under part 2 of article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed under martial law) and sentenced her to life imprisonment in absentia.

Since the traitor is in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, complex measures are being continued to bring her to justice.