The SBU has exposed a former Donetsk National University professor who was passing on information about occupied territories in the Donetsk region to Russian military personnel

A former associate professor at Donetsk National University, who took a position in the occupation administration, was notified in absentia that he is suspected of collaboration. According to the investigation, he was involved in the seizure of agricultural land in the occupied territories, which was subsequently transferred to the Russian military as a reward.

 

Prior to the occupation of part of the Donetsk region, the man worked as an associate professor in the Department of National and Regional Economics at Donetsk National University. After defecting to the Russian Federation, he headed the so-called “DPR” Institute of Economic Research and became a member of the occupation’s Higher Attestation Commission.

In February 2025, the head of the occupation administration, Denis Pushilin, appointed him as the so-called deputy head of the “DPR” government—Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Processing Industries.

According to the SBU, in this position, the suspect is working to reorient the agricultural sector of the occupied Donetsk region to meet Russia’s needs and is organizing the export of Ukrainian grain to the Russian Federation.

In addition, according to operational data, entities under his control are seizing agricultural land in the temporarily occupied territories under the pretext of nationalization. These plots are subsequently transferred to veterans of the Russian army as part of a Russian state program.

The former professor’s actions have been classified under Part 5 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—collaboration. He faces up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

This was reported by the SBU Directorate in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

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