Charges filed against pro-Russian Orthodox Church fanatic — SBU
Victoria Kochanovska (Photo:Вікторія Кохановська/Facebook)
Ukraine’s SBU security service has announced that it is filing criminal charges against a prominent pro-Russian blogger suspected of inciting violence at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra religious complex in Kyiv.
Though the SBU did not disclose the name of the blogger, based on photographs released by the service, it is believed to be Victoria Kochanovska, an advocate for the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Ukraine.
The SBU said in a statement on Aug. 17 that it had amassed evidence of the propagandist’s public denial of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, and accused her of fomenting religious hatred.
The implicated individual actively participated in provocative demonstrations at Lavra in late March and early April, the SBU said.
“During that time, she disseminated her own video streams on social media, inciting individuals to resist the lawful actions of law enforcement and insulting the religious sentiments of Ukrainians,” the SBU stated.
Furthermore, on her Facebook page, she denied the facts of Russian armed aggression and referred to the war against Ukraine as an “internal civil conflict.”
The blogger also posted on social media about the “inevitability” of a takeover of the entire territory of Ukraine by Russia and attempted to discredit the Ukrainian armed forces. All of this was fueled by Russian propaganda, the SBU said.
The blogger has been charged with justifying, recognizing as legitimate, and denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
