SBU arrests five pro‑Russian agitators, including former MP’s associate

Among those detained is a 58‑year‑old aide to former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev. SBU said he served as the administrator of one Facebook group with about 27,000 followers that promoted his now-banned pro-Russian party. Authorities state he regularly spread misinformation about Ukraine’s defense forces and conditions on the front line while praising Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Another suspect is an employee at a factory in Kyiv Oblast who extolled the Russian state in conversations with colleagues. Another agitator from Kyiv was detained for supporting Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory on Russian social media network VKontakte, banned in Ukraine since 2017.

SBU also identified an agitator from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. The suspect, active on another banned Russian social network Odnoklassniki, lauded the invaders and justified the occupation of eastern Ukraine.

If convicted, the accused face up to eight years in prison. All suspects remain in custody.

In March 2024, the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office charged Murayev with spreading Russian propaganda through his TV channel and YouTube. In speeches and interviews, he claimed Ukraine was in the midst of a “culture war” and persecuting dissenters. He also promoted ideas that discredited Ukraine’s independence and argued for complying with agreements with Russia.

In January 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed sanctions on pro-Russian propagandists and traitors, including Murayev.