Russian Federation Finances Anti-Ukrainian Activities of Extensive Network of Online Agitators

Cyber experts of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) exposed and stopped the destructive activity of a Russian-controlled network of online agitators operating on the territory of the Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Poltava, and Zakarpattia regions.

It has been documented that, on the instructions of the Russian handlers, the offenders shared calls for the violation of territorial integrity and constitutional order of Ukraine and incited interethnic hatred on social media sites.

Thus, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, SBU officers identified a Donetsk-born person who distributed materials in support of the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, called for the physical destruction of mythical “Ukrainian fascists” and promoted the ideas of “Russian world.”

In the Kherson region, law enforcement officers exposed a resident of the town of Oleshky, who had been spreading anti-Ukrainian materials in one of the government-banned social networks, where he justified Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and called for the secession of central, southern, and eastern regions with their further accession to Russia.

In turn, an agitator from the town of Berehove in the Zakarpattia region created a number of accounts on social media sites and shared calls for violations of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. In particular, he called on citizens to support the secession of the Zakarpattia region.

In the Poltava region, cyber experts stopped the activity of an Internet agitator who posted publications on one of the banned social networks with calls for separatism and changes in the borders of Ukraine. A resident of the town of Horishni Plavni took an active part in the activities of more than 20 anti-Ukrainian communities with more than 100,000 followers.

Cyber experts note that the increased activity of Internet agitators coincides with the so-called “tariff protests.” It was established that at the request of Russian handlers, the offenders incited online users to participate in protests and disturb public order.

The criminals have been served with the notices of charges under Article 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Natalia Tolub