Former Councilor Accused of Treason: Investigation Update
Under the guidance of the Odessa regional prosecutor's office, a former councilor from the pro-Russian party «Rodina» has been charged with treason in absentia.
He faces accusations of state betrayal, war propaganda, and justifying the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, utilizing media outlets (part 2 of Article 111, Article 436, part 3 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
According to the investigation, the ex-councilor left for Russia in 2014, where he actively harmed Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.
On February 24, 2022, the day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the suspect joined Russian forces in the temporarily occupied territory of Kyiv region, assisting the enemy in navigating the area and spreading Kremlin narratives among civilians.
The ex-councilor actively used his Telegram channel to post messages openly calling on Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms and not resist. He justified Russia's aggression, reported on the occupation's progress, and disseminated misinformation.
He also gave an interview to a well-known Russian YouTube blogger, where he openly admitted his collaboration with the occupiers and claimed that Ukraine allegedly had no chance of victory.
He is currently listed as wanted.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine in the Odessa region.
Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.
