Vadym Novynskyi, a former member of parliament from the banned pro-Russian Opposition Bloc party, has been charged with high treason and incitement to religious hatred and enmity. According to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), he has been actively promoting pro-Russian narratives since 2014, speaking in the media and publicly expressing anti-government and pro-Russian sentiments. The suspicion also concerns his close ties with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, with whom he maintained constant communication and acted as a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
After the outbreak of full-scale war, Novinsky fled Ukraine and is currently hiding abroad, continuing to promote information activities to the detriment of Ukraine’s sovereignty. He has been notified of suspicion under articles on high treason and violation of the equality of citizens based on their religious beliefs. These articles provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.
The SBI press release does not disclose the specific identity of the suspected ex-MP, but the video from the agency shows a slightly blurred portrait of Vadym Novynskyi.
Note: Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and shall not be criminally punished until proven guilty by law and established by a court verdict of guilty.
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