The People’s Deputy and four other people are accused of treason: prosecutors have completed the investigation
Under the procedural guidance of the prosecutors of the General Prosecutor’s Office, the pre-trial proceedings have been completed investigation regarding five members of the criminal organization, including a People’s Deputy of Ukraine, a People’s Deputy of the III-IX convocations, a former prosecutor and two heads of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
According to the case materials, they are charged with creating and participating in a criminal organization, as well as treason (Part 1 of Article 255, Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The investigation established that in 2016 the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation created a criminal organization, which was later joined by two People’s Deputies of Ukraine, a former employee of the General Prosecutor’s Office and other persons. The organization acted as an agent network aimed at destabilizing the socio-political situation in Ukraine and discrediting the state at the international level by 2022. The participants received funding from the General Staff of the Russian Federation for their activities.
The People’s Deputy, who continues his activities in Ukraine, engaged in informational and subversive activities for the benefit of the aggressor state. He spread Russian propaganda, including defamation of Ukraine’s top political leadership, in particular through participation in public events.
In November 2019, these deputies organized a press conference at which they spread false information about the corruption of US officials, thus trying to worsen relations between Ukraine and its strategic partner.
In June 2020, the former prosecutor and ex-Deputy of the People’s Republic of Ukraine held another press conference, at which fakes in favor of the Kremlin were voiced, in particular, about the alleged interference of Ukrainian officials in the US presidential election.
Before the start of a full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022, the former deputy and ex-prosecutor fled abroad and are still hiding from justice.
So far, the suspects and their lawyers have been notified of the completion of the pre-trial investigation and have been given access to the materials in accordance with the procedure provided for in Art. 290 of the CPC of Ukraine. The incumbent People’s Deputy is in custody. The pre-trial investigation was carried out by investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation with the support of the SBU.
It should be noted that according to Art. 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime until his guilt is proven in court and established by a guilty verdict.
