SSU calls «an information saboteur» assistant of Medvedchuk's represantative Nevinchannyi from Mykolaiv

Maksym Nevynchannyi and Nataliia Khoroshevska Photo: Facebook/Nataliia Khoroshevska

The Security Service of Ukraine has published a list of so-called «information saboteurs» of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Among them are Natalia Khoroshevska, former head of the youth organisation «of the Opposition Platform - For Life» in Mykolaiv and the region, and an assistant to Viktor Medvedchuk's local ally, former Mykolaiv City Council member Maksym Nevinchannyi.

According to the SSU, these individuals, under Medvedchuk's leadership, conducted media attacks against Ukraine, spread pro-Russian content, justified Russian aggression and tried to undermine the situation in partner countries. Materials for this purpose were prepared and published on controlled Telegram channels, on YouTube and through the Kremlin's project «Voice of Europe», which was sanctioned by the EU in 2024.

The key witness in the case was Kyrylo Molchanov, a political expert «detained in Poland, who, according to the investigation, worked for the FSB and Russian foreign intelligence. He spoke about his direct connection with the leadership of the FSB's fifth service, as well as his participation in street actions in the EU aimed at curtailing international support for Ukraine.

Investigators found that Medvedchuk had agreed with Putin to create the organisation «Druhaia Ukraina», after which the project was coordinated by the FSB. Most of its members travelled to Russia at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, where they continued their activities.

«According to the case file, Viktor Medvedchuk personally supervised these activities. In particular, he agreed on the creation of the organisation «Druha Ukraina» directly with Putin, after which the Kremlin leader instructed the FSB to coordinate the project.» Then Medvedchuk personally formed «the staff of the pro-Kremlin association, which included top management and propagandists of the former MP's» sanctioned TV channels," the statement said.

The case involves 12 defendants. In particular: Denys Zharkykh, Artem Marchevskyi, Roman Kovalenko, Ruslan Kalynchuk, Yakov Taksiur, Yurii Dudkin, Ruslan Kotsaba, Bohdan Hihanov, Oleh Yasynskyi, Oleksandr Lazariev and Nataliia Khoroshevska.

All of them were notified of suspicion in absentia under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• p. 3 of Article 109 (public calls for the violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or the seizure of state power, as well as the distribution of materials calling for such actions committed as part of an organised criminal group);
• p. 2 of Article 111 (high treason committed under martial law);
• p. 6 Art. 111-1 (collaboration);
• p. 3, Art. 161 (violation of equality of citizens based on their race, nationality, region, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds committed as part of an organised criminal group);
• p. 3 of Art. 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants committed as part of an organised criminal group).

As a reminder, in 2023, the now ex-deputy of the Mykolaiv City Council, Maksym Nevynchannyi, elected from the banned OPFL, who fled Ukraine with the start of the full-scale invasion, appeared in the Russian media space as a representative of the movement of collaborator Viktor Medvedchuk «Druha Ukraina».