The former head of the Poltava District Court, Larysa Bohomolova, has been found guilty of high treason committed under martial law. A court of first instance sentenced the former judge to 15 years in prison with full confiscation of property. This was revealed following the conclusion of a lengthy trial held in closed sessions. The former official’s full guilt in intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine was completely proven in court.
Prior to the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Larysa Bohomolova served as a judge in Berdiansk. Following the city’s occupation in the spring of 2022, she chose not to evacuate to Ukrainian-controlled territory. According to investigators, the woman independently initiated contact with an FSB representative code-named «Vlad» and consented to undercover cooperation.
By late March 2022, the traitor had passed information to her Russian handler regarding the movements of three fighters from the «Azov» special forces detachment, who were attempting to escape Mariupol toward Manhush. Based on her tip-off, the occupiers attempted to locate and detain the Ukrainian servicemen.
In addition to espionage, Bohomolova acted as a political advisor to the occupation authorities. She personally recommended candidates for the position of the so-called «gauleiter» of Berdiansk and the head of the seized local hospital. She also assisted in selecting loyal staff for the fake Ministry of Emergency Situations (MCHS).
Concurrently, the judge compiled lists of her colleagues, marking «staunch opponents» of Russia among the court staff. She urged them to support the Kremlin regime, effectively turning over those who refused to cooperate to representatives of Russian punitive organs.
In the summer of 2022, Larysa Bohomolova unexpectedly left for Ukrainian-controlled territory. Following a decision by the High Council of Justice (HCJ), she was reassigned to the Poltava District Court. Having cleared security screenings, she presided over legal cases for six months, and on November 2, 2022, she was elected head of the court via a secret ballot by her peers.
«SBU counterintelligence detained the Russian FSB agent in April 2023, directly inside her office in Poltava, following the release of audio recordings of her conversations with her handler.»
The defendant’s legal team repeatedly attempted to soften her pretrial restrictions, citing Bohomolova’s health conditions, including oncology and diabetes. However, the Zaporizhzhia Court of Appeals kept her in custody at a detention facility. The trial was also delayed due to a mass recusal of Zaporizhzhia judges.
On July 2, 2024, the High Council of Justice dismissed Larysa Bohomolova from her judicial position in absentia for committing a gross disciplinary offense, ultimately clearing the way for the court to hand down the final 15-year prison sentence.