On 13 November, Ukraine’s Bureau of Investigation (DBR) charged lawmaker Oleksandr Dubinskyi with high treason and participation in a criminal organization.
Although the Bureau did not disclose the name of the MP, earlier Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing sources in law enforcement agencies, that Dubinskyi’s place was searched today.
According to investigators, the lawmaker had the code name Buratino and was part of a criminal organization formed by Russia’s GRU military intelligence. The group aimed to destabilize Ukraine’s political situation and discredit the country internationally.
The SBU claims the network received over $10 million in funding from Russia. Dubinskyi allegedly spread disinformation about Ukraine’s top military and political leadership. One example was propagating hoaxes about Ukrainian officials meddling in the 2019 US presidential election.
The deputy participated in “relevant press conferences ” to disseminate Russian propaganda,” the SBU stated without elaborating. Ukrainska Pravda reported this likely referred to a disinformation campaign that involved both Dubinskyi and former MP Andrii Derkach. This campaign pushed conspiracy theories about the Ukrainian and American governments. At the center of the theories was Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, who served on the board of directors of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
The SBU says Derkach was also part of the GRU-formed network. Investigators allege the group was created by GRU deputy head Vladimir Alekseyev, aided by his deputy Alexei Savin. In Kyiv, it was coordinated by Derkach’s former assistant, Ihor Kolesnikov (Veteran), who was already jailed for treason per the SBU.
Along with Dubinskyi and Derkach, ex-prosecutor Kostiantyn Kulyk (Ptychka) was reportedly part of the organization but is now abroad. The three stand accused of treason and participating in a criminal organization. Alekseyev and Savin face charges of establishing the network and inciting treason.
Read also:
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