After the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, occupied cities of the Ukrainian South have been controlled by various occupation “guard dogs” – “police”, “security services” or “commandant’s offices”. Their main task is to support the Russian occupation regime, “to clean” occupied cities from disloyal residents, to suppress resistance, to abduct and torture pro-Ukrainian activists, veterans of “the anti-terrorist operation” conducted by Ukraine in 2014-2022 in Eastern Ukraine, to falsify criminal investigations against Ukrainian activists.
Russian occupants have concealed real heads of these “authorities” for a long time, in order to protect them from responsibility for thousands war crimes on temporarily occupied territories. The Center for Journalist Investigations (CJI) identified heads of “Russian law enforcement bodies” in temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region by using Russian state databases, registers and other official sources of information.
This occupation institution was registered by the Russian State Register of Legal Entities (EGRUL is its Russian abbreviation) on December 22, 2022 (OGRN 1229000019896, Russian taxpayer’s number is 9001011403).
It is remarkable that the Russian Federal Security Service has not yet created its official branches in “new subjects of the Russian Federation”, unlike other Russian federal ministries or agencies. “The branch of the Federal Security Service in Crimea and Sevastopol” is in charge of conducting investigations on occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
The Russian State Register indicates Ganzha Sergii Valentynovych (Russian taxpayer’s number is 910302038890) as the head of “State security service” in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region.
It is quite renowned figure – he has been the head of the Department for Protection of the National Sovereignty of the Security Service of Ukraine. He is now wanted for committing serious crimes.
Ganzha has worked in state security bodies of USSR since February 1986. He has been the Deputy Head of branches of the Security Service of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovska and Kyivska oblasts and Deputy Mayor of Dnipropetrovsk. It seems he has been lobbied by Volodymyr Lytvyn, the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, to head the State Committee of Ukraine of State Reserve in 2008. After 2010 he worked as an assistant-consultant of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In 2012, he was appointed as the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine to Supervise the State Security Service of Ukraine.
Ganzha’s dubious activity was covered by a number of journalist anticorruption investigations (supply of gasoline during 2005 fuel crisis; lobbying illegal construction in Foros on the Southern Coast of Crimea; fake procurement by the State Committee of State Reserve).
In 2013, under the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, Ganzha was appointed to head the Department for Protection of the National Sovereignty of the Security Service of Ukraine. The major general became infamous for the so-called “case of Vasylkiv terrorists”. Three people were accused of planning the explosion of Lenin monument in Boryspil. They received six years imprisonment term…
General-traitor Sergii Ganzha in the broadcast of Russian propaganda channel “Rossia-1”, 20.02.2022, photo of video screenshot
In accordance with official Ukrainian investigation, general Ganzha was directly responsible for suppressing Maidan protests in 2013-2014. As one version suggests, he ordered to shoot and kill participants of the Revolution of Dignity within special operation “Boomerang” aimed at seizing the House of Trade Unions and total suppression of protests at the Square of Independence. Ganzha was dismissed on February 26, 2014. In November 2014, the State Security Service of Ukraine declared him suspicion in state treason, illegal obstruction of meetings and abuse of power. Information about results of investigation of his case is not available.
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine imposed personal sanctions on Sergii Ganzha in February 2021.
Before the Russian invasion into Ukraine, Ganzha participated in the show of Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov on February 20, 2022. He announced that “Western countries would start the war in Ukraine” and asked Russian authorities to adopt quick decision about Ukraine as the situation would worsen. In fact, he asked Russian authorities to initiate armed aggression against Ukraine.
“Investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in Zaporizhzhia oblast”
Russian citizen Aleksandr Vladimirovich Tsarakaev (Russian taxpayer’s number is 254003009006), the colonel of justice, manages “department” of the Investigative Committee of Russia in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast. Before this appointment, he has been the Deputy Head of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in Amurska oblast since 2011.
Aleksandr Tsarakaev, the head of “department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation” in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia oblast. Photo: amur.life
Tsarakaev was born in Dolynsk of Sakhalin oblast of the Russian Federation in 1966. He worked as an investigator within the prosecutor’s office and then came to the Investigative Committee of Russia in 2010. There are a few facts about that period of his life. In 2006, he as the leading investigator investigated the case of 7 thousands wagons of smuggling. They were delivered to Cherkizovo market in Moscow through customs in Russian Primorsky krai. The delivery was paid by banking accounts of the Russian Federal Security Service.
After this case Tsarakaev switched to the prosecutor’s office focusing on transport.
“Department of internal affairs in Zaporizhzhia oblast”
Moscow authorities decided they would not create structural unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russi on the “new territory” as they did not create branches of the Federal Security Service (FSB). But they did register the “department” of unknown body in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast on December 22, 2022 (OGNR 1229000019302, Russian taxpayer’s number is 9001010978).
This “department” is headed by Oleg Aleksandrovich Garbuzov. His taxpayer’s number is absent in the Russian State Register. It happens when the person is not the Russian citizen or the person never headed or founded any organizations or companies under the Russian jurisdiction. It is possible that Garbuzov’s number will be later introduced into the Register if such a person does exist. However, we failed to find any other information about person with such a name and position of the “head of the Department of internal affairs in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast”.
Occupation “municipal and raion departments of internal affairs” are subordinated to this Department.
“Department of internal affairs in Melitopol and Melitopol raion” is headed by Andrei Aleksandrovich Zhydkov (Russian taxpayer’s number is 780719977500), the head of Russian “Association of employees of law enforcement bodies “Voin” [Warrior] and “ataman of Saint Petersburg city Cossack community “Emperor’s Convoy”.
Andrei Zhydkov, the head of occupation “Department of internal affairs in Melitopol and Melitopol raion”. Photo: VKontakte
Zhydkov is the most talkative person among all “law enforcement officers” of temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region. He likes commenting the work of his subordinates who, as he says, regularly find “hidden places” with Ukrainian weapons and uncover “Ukrainian terrorists”. He is active user of social media and posts videos with holiday greetings.
The main occupation policeman of Melitopol raion is 43 years old. He was born in Russian Republic of Mordovia. In accordance with his biography posted on the website with eloquent name “vippersona.ru”, he is very talented and professional person. He graduated from three institutes of higher military education (one of them is an institute of the Federal Security Service in Novosibirsk). He participated in military operations, served in the Federal Security Service as detective and officer and was awarded with thirty medals and distinctions.
However, an investigation of Russian journalists “Pretenders with epaulets” revealed that Zhydkov has far fewer distinctions then he pretends and that his service in the Federal Security Service is falsified.
It turned out that “colonel” Zhydkov was dismissed from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in 2011 as the major, not a colonel, without the right to wear military uniform. He received one medal for the length of service but did not get any state awards. One year before the dismissal, he illegally received an apartment in Saint Petersburg.
Zhydkov answered journalist questions in the following way: “I do not serve in the Federal Security Service; I serve in another special service. It is not worth mentioning its name. I hold high rank position, with field trips and meetings with people in different regions”.
In accordance with Zhydkov’s account in “Vkontakte”, his main activity has been about patriotic training and self-promotion before 2022. Immediately after the Russian invasion, Zhydkov plunged into “humanitarian assistance”: he brought drugs, food and uniforms to the Russian military in Luhansk. Later he appeared in Melitopol with dubious status and powers.
Local traitor Oleksii Viktorovych Koshel was appointed as the “head of the Department of internal affairs in Tokmak and Tokmak raion”. He was fired from Ukrainian law enforcement bodies for incompetence in 2015.
Oleksii Koshel, collaborator, the head of occupation Department of internal affairs in Tokmak raion. Photo: RIA Novosti
Before the Russian occupation of Tokmak raion, Oleksii Koshel served in Tokmak military enlistment office. He has served in the police from 1997 till 2015. He was fired for incompetence. As he explained to journalists, he was fired for “his comments in the social media about killings of peaceful citizens in Donbas”.
Koshel started collaborating with the enemy in April 2022. He helped to create occupation police in occupied Tokmak.
The State Security Service of Ukraine informed in August 2022 that it identified people working in the occupation “main department of internal affairs in Zaporizhzhia oblast”. In accordance with Service’s data, Oleksii Koshel headed Melitopol inter-raion department of internal affairs. But he kept working in Tokmak.
After pseudo referendum, Oleksii Koshel, as other collaborators, attended “celebrations” in Moscow Kremlin. After his trip to Moscow, Ukrainian journalists from Slidstvo.info called him and asked about his collaboration with Russian occupants:
“For you they are occupants. For us, for the normal people of Ukraine who lives on its land… we do not consider them occupants”, as Koshel answered.
There was information at the end of November 2022 that he died when his car was exploded in Zaporizhzhia oblast. It was not confirmed. Occupation “policeman” stays in Tokmak and collaborates with occupants, as it is documented by the Russian State Register.
“Department of internal affairs in Berdyansk and Berdyansk raion” has been headed by Oleg Oleksandrovych Saprykin since April 2022. He has been head of departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Donetsk oblast and Crimea, as the CJI earlier reported.
Oleg Saprykin, collaborator, head of occupation “Department of internal affairs in Berdyansk and Berdyansk raion”. Photo: volodr-rovd.ucoz.ru
In 2010, he headed Sovetsky raion department of militia in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Then, he has headed Volodarsky raion department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Donetsk oblast until November 2015.
In 2016, he submitted his asset declaration after dismissal from the position of police inspector of Livoberezhny department of police in Mariupol. He was fired by Vjacheslav Abroskin, the first Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine for incompetence.
“Department of internal affairs in Vasylivka and Vasylivka raion” is headed by Oleksandr Yuriovych Krylov, the former policeman from Donetsk.
Oleksandr Krylov, policeman-collaborator, with nickname “Beria”. Photo: hornews.ru
The occupation “unit of police” started working in Vasylivka in May 2022. It was headed by Oleksandr Krylov, pensioner of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from Donetsk. He took nickname “Beria” in memory of Lavrentiy Beria, the chief of Stalin’s secret police.
As Krylov confessed to Russian propagandists, he joined pro-Russian paramilitary in Donetsk in 2014 but then found job in the private company. After the Russian full scale invasion, he decided to join Russian military service.
Russian occupants appointed Melitopol collaborator Andrii Oleksandrovych Blavatsky as the head of “Department of internal affairs of Zaporizhzhia oblast at transport”. Before the Russian occupation, he served in the Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine.
Andrii Blavatsky, collaborator, the head of the “Department of internal affairs of Zaporizhzhia oblast at transport”.Photo: bigbookname.com
Legitimate Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov informed at the end of February 2023 that Andrii Blavatsky was wounded by the explosion of his car. But this information was not confirmed. He keeps serving in occupation police of Melitopol.
Occupation “prosecutors”
The CJI reported that Moscow authorities appointed Kiril Nikolaevich Osipchuk (Russian taxpayer’s number is 272318647587) as the “prosecutor of Zaporizhzhia oblast”.
He has been deputy prosecutor of the Russian city of Rostov-na-Donu before his appointment to the temporarily occupied territory. Earlier he headed prosecutor’s office of Khabarovsky krai of the Russian Federation.
Kiril Osipchuk, acting “prosecutor” in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia oblast. Photo: the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation.
Russian citizen Aleksandr Spitsyn was appointed as the deputy of Osipchuk. He worked as an assistant to the “prosecutor” of temporarily occupied Sevastopol before his appointment to occupied Zaporizhzhia region. He was responsible for the federal security, interethnic relations and fight against extremism and terrorism, Earlier he worked as an assistant to the prosecutor of Krasnoperekopsky raion of Yaroslavl.
Oleksandr Spitsyn, acting deputy prosecutor of Zaporizhzhia oblast. Photo: myrotvorets.center
Acting head of the “Department of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service in Zaporizhzhia oblast” is Oleksandr Alimovych Fasuljak.
Lieutenant colonel Fasuljak is Crimean collaborator. He served as the deputy head of the “Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service in Sevastopol and the Republic of Crimea” before his appointment to occupied Zaporizhzhia region.
Oleksandr Fasuljak, collaborator, the head of the “Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service in Zaporizhzhia oblast”. Photo: krim.fsin.gov.ru
As serviceman of the Internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Fasuljak received the medal “For impeccable service” from President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych in 2010, on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the Ukrainian independence.
After the Russian occupation of Crimea, the lieutenant colonel was responsible in the “Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service in Sevastopol and the Republic of Crimea” for the following spheres: security of institutions, convoying detained people, supply of engineering and technical protection means, planning of actions under emergency situations.
“Department of the Federal Bailiffs Service in Zaporizhzhia oblast” is headed by Aleksandr Vladimirovich Moiseenkov (Russian taxpayer’s number is 402806804259). He holds similar position in Leningradska oblast of the Russian Federation.
Aleksandr Moiseenkov, the head of occupation “Department of the Federal Bailiffs Service in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia oblast”. Photo: “Об’єктив”
Moiseenkov has served as the head of “Sevastopol department of bailiffs” from August 2019 till December 2022. He came to Crimea from Kaluzhska oblast of the Russian Federation. He started his career there in 2010 and reached the position of the main bailiff.
Melitopol collaborator Maksym Yevhenovych Prystupa is the head of another department of penitentiary service in Zaporizhzhia oblast. Before the Russian occupation, he worked as the head of the security department of Melitopol female prison.
Journalists of RIA Melitopol reported that Prystupa started collaborating voluntarily by supplying to Russian occupants meals prepared in the kitchen of prison.
Maksym Prystupa, collaborator, head of the “department of penitentiary service in Zaporizhzhia oblast”. Photo: ria-m.tv
It should be noted that women and girls detained in the prison were evacuated before the Russian occupation whereas senior officers of the prison refused cooperating with occupants.
Material is created by the information agency “The Center for Journalist Investigations” in partnership with the Human Rights Center ZMINA.
