Kyiv based Prosecutor's Office for the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol has sent 23 indictments to the court against citizens of Ukraine who, after the occupation of the peninsula, voluntarily took up positions in the occupation authorities of the aggressor state.

"In 2022-2023, the accused voluntarily took up occupation positions in the ‘government of the Republic of Crimea,’ ’local governments’ and ‘institutions of higher education," the press service of the prosecutor's office reported on Thursday.

They are charged with collaboration (Part 5 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for up to 10 years in prison.

One of the accused is the chairman of the State Committee for Youth Policy of the Republic of Crimea since 2020 and is the head of the Crimean organization Young Guard of United Russia, included in the list of Canadian sanctions against organizations involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, as well as for the creation and dissemination of propaganda and disinformation.

"In their positions, the defendants contribute to the implementation of the policy of the occupation authorities of the Russian Federation and ensure its activities in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea," the prosecutor's office said.