«When we enter Ochakiv, will he continue to be mayor?». The court heard Bychkov's conversation with Russians in the trial of special forces officer Shevchenko
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- Alisa Melik-Adamian
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8:30, 14 February, 2025
In the case of Eduard Shevchenko, the former commander of the 73rd Marine Centre of the SSO and an official of the Ochakiv City Council, accused of high treason, a fragment of a dialogue between Mayor Serhii Bychkov and the Russian side was heard. The conversation took place under the supervision of representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine.
This was reported by the correspondent of NikVesti.
It should be noted that both Eduard Shevchenko and the mayor of Ochakiv, Serhii Bychkov, spoke with Serhii Kolesnikov. According to the investigation, he is a Russian intelligence officer.
At the hearing on Tuesday, 11 February, Eduard Shevchenko called these conversations «a radio game», which he had to conduct under pressure from the security forces.
The Zavodsky court heard fragments of conversations with representatives of Russian intelligence. Photo: NikVestiThe first such conversation between Shevchenko and Kolesnikov dates back to 1 February 2023, when the detention was not yet publicly known.» A GRU representative told Shevchenko that a big boss named Mykola Mykolaiovych wants to talk to «his friend» (the mayor of Ochakiv is called in conversations).
«Who is this general?» asks Eduard Shevchenko.
«He is our immediate superior. He's a normal guy, a good guy,» Kolesnikov replies. «Mykola Mykolaiovych, when he calls, you can talk to him normally. He is a man who understands both the situation and the environment. He doesn't have any of those, I'm sorry, f*ck-ups. He is waiting to be called.»
In the next call, the Russian officer asked me to pass on a so-called request from «General».
«We are all normal people, everyone has their own capabilities. If he (the general, — note) is going to ask some questions, and if he (Mayor Serhii Bychkov, — note) realises that he will not be able to answer, let him not waste time. Let him say that it is not his competence,» Kolesnikov said.
In addition, Shevchenko was asked to pass on questions for Bychkov to prepare for.
«The person (the so-called general who was supposed to talk to Bychkov, — note) wants to know exactly what happens after Ochakiv becomes ours... Does he want to be mayor in the future? Or maybe he wants something else? What are his wishes?» Serhii Kolesnikov asked.
Already on 7 February 2023, a conversation between Mayor Serhii Bychkov and Serhii Kolesnikov took place under the supervision of the SSU.
We are publishing the entire dialogue:
«Are you here on the matter that my friend sent me (referring to Eduard Shevchenko, — note)?» the mayor of Ochakiv asks.
«Yes. When he returns, he will call you (again, referring to the general who was supposed to talk to Bychkov, — note). He asked me to pass on the following information, so think about what you could answer his questions. The first thing you want to see from us when we come? What do you want to do? And second. How can you help us?» Kolesnikov asks.
«And you represent him, the one who called me?» Bychkov clarifies.
«Yes, I do.»
«And who are you anyway? Tell me, because I don't have any information. I only have the information that our mutual friend passed on.»
«An employee of the service, Mykola Mykolaiovych, a captain of the first rank.»
«I see. He told me briefly that there would be a general, GRU, etc.»
«I have a question. Is this your personal phone?»
«Yes, it's the only one I have, I don't have any others.»
«If you can, then take a SIM card that doesn't relate to you.«
«I don't have one.»
«Ask for one, our friend will do it.»
«Okay, we'll work it out. Tell me, from the questions you told me, I understand that they apply to when you will be there.... To confirm your authority, what is within your competence, can I pass a request through you?»
«It depends on the request.»
«Can you stop shelling my city? It will soon be gone. It has been levelled to the ground for a month now.»
«It is not in my competence.»
«I understand that one person cannot make decisions when there is... a war going on. Can I voice my request? It is important for me.»
«I will voice my request today.»
«Will I get an answer when I talk to him?»
«Yes. I'll let you know when he arrives tomorrow.»
«You must also understand that you have a lot of unnecessary guests in your city.»
«Look, you have your tasks, and I, as mayor, have mine. I want to understand whether people have any powers or not. You'll forgive me, but I don't even know who I'm talking to. Maybe your friend knows more, better. I don't know anyone, neither you, Serhii Oleksandrovych, nor Mykola Mykolaiovych. There could be anyone on the other side. And, as our mutual friend says, when he introduces himself to strangers «Major Changaibuk». And so it is with us. As a mayor, as an official, I passed on my request, I am concerned about this.»
«Understood. I will report today.»
Eduard Shevchenko, accused of treason, at the hearing on 11 February. Photo: NikVestiAfter talking to Mayor Bychkov, he dialled Eduard Shevchenko. The Russian representative said that he was alarmed by the behaviour of the Ochakiv mayor, who put the call on speakerphone.
«I explained yesterday that the man was on the front line. He said: «No problem, but I have a request». He asked me to stop the shelling of Ochakiv. And I said that you have a lot of uninvited guests. He said he couldn't take them anywhere,» Kolesnikov says.
«He really can't take them anywhere,» Shevchenko replies.
«But everyone understands that.»
«He has no influence on the military situation. His worries about the city are understandable, he is responsible for it, his mother, mother-in-law, and friends live there.»
«It was a request, not a demand. Oh, and another thing that confused me was that the phone was on speakerphone.»
«What does this mean?»
«Well, people don't usually do that when they're talking. And the phone you dropped was his personal phone. He is definitely being listened to. I told him to pick up a SIM card.»
«You understand that I have no influence on his thoughts.»
The case of Eduard Shevchenko
The trial of Eduard Shevchenko, who is accused of collaborating with Russian special services, began on 6 February. It became known about the man's detention on the fact of high treason in March 2023.
He not only headed the department of the Ochakiv City Council responsible for security in the city, but was also the commander of the 73rd Naval Special Forces Centre, an ATO veteran and holder of state orders.
In an interview with journalists, he spoke negatively about his years of service in the Armed Forces, due to the unfair level of provision for servicemen.
At a hearing on 27 May, the court considered the search of the defendant's home. However, it was impossible to see anything other than a dark screen due to the lack of electricity in the house.
On 4 June, the court considered searches at the home of the father of an officer of the Russian General Staff, who is connected to the case of recruitment of the mayor of Ochakiv.
In October, the court partially lifted the seizure of the accused's property. This includes his 16-year-old son's mobile phone and a thermal imager.
How is the mayor of Ochakiv connected to the treason case?
During the detention of Eduard Shevchenko in March 2023, the SSU was informed, among other things, that he had tried to recruit the mayor of Ochakiv, Serhiy Bychkov.
According to the investigation, when Eduard Shevchenko held the position of Head of the Security and Surveillance Department of the Housing and Communal Services Department of the Ochakiv City Council, he was tasked by Serhii Kolesnikov to recruit the mayor for loyalty. In a direct conversation with Bychkov at the city council, Shevchenko said that representatives of the Russian Federation wanted to talk to the mayor.
«He is very wary. They offered to use my website,» he reported to Kolesnikov after the conversation with the Ochakiv mayor.
After his detention, Eduard Shevchenko said he was surprised by the SBU's release, which stated that he had tried to recruit Mayor Serhiy Bychkov to work for the Russians.
Denys Zhelo, deputy head of the public control council of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine , commented on the lack of claims by law enforcement officers against Ochakiv mayor Serhii Bychkov, whose colleague was detained for high treason. According to Denys Zhelo, the mayor of Ochakiv, Serhii Bychkov, was friends in all areas with Russian intelligence agent Eduard Shevchenko.
Eduard Shevchenko himself noted that he considers Serhii Bychkov to be the most effective mayor of all those who have ever been in Ochakiv.
The mayor himself was almost always closed to the media. Commenting on this, Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional Administration, suggested that Serhii Bychkov does not address the community and does not report on the results of his work because he is «a non-public person».