Former Crimea Energy Chief Arrested in Kyiv: Treason Charges Could Bring 15 Years.

Arrest of Ex-Head of Crimea’s Republican Committee

According to Espreso.tv: Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has detained the former chairman of the Republican Committee for Fuel and Energy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Kyiv, accusing him of high treason. After Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the suspect acquired Russian citizenship and, according to investigators, actively assisted the Russian occupation administration in taking control of the peninsula’s energy infrastructure.

The arrest took place in Ukraine’s capital, where law enforcement conducted searches. During these operations, they seized Russian passports, bank cards, and other documents linking him to the occupying authorities.

Role in Seizing Energy Infrastructure

Appointed as the so-called “Minister of Fuel and Energy of the Republic of Crimea” by local occupation leader Sergey Aksyonov, the suspect helped organize control over key energy facilities, including:

• Simferopol Thermal Power Plant
• Sevastopol Thermal Power Plant
• Tavriyska Thermal Power Station
• a network of solar and wind power stations
• gas pipelines and gas compressor stations
• oil depots and oil terminals in Kerch and Feodosia

The suspect has been formally charged under Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He is currently in custody without the possibility of bail, facing up to 15 years in prison and confiscation of property. The individual in question has been identified as Serhiy Kolobov.

This case follows other high-profile prosecutions, such as the June 25 life sentence for ex-SBU anti-terrorist center chief Dmytro Kozyura on treason charges.

Kolobov’s arrest highlights an intensified crackdown by Ukrainian law enforcement on treason linked to the annexed Crimea. It also underscores the ongoing legal accountability for those collaborating with the occupation administration amid the protracted conflict. Together with other notable cases, this reflects a systematic state effort to identify and punish traitors, with significant implications for Ukraine’s national security.