In a significant development, Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has charged a former MP from the banned Opposition Platform – For Life (OPZZh) party with treason and violation of financial disclosure requirements. According to reports from Ukrainian National News (UNN), citing SBI sources, the suspect is believed to be Oleh Voloshyn, who may currently be hiding in Russia.

Investigators allege that between December 2022 and February 2023, during Ukraine’s period of martial law, the former lawmaker made several appearances on “TASS is authorized to declare,” a program broadcast on Belarus’s STV channel. Videos of these appearances were subsequently published on YouTube.

During these broadcasts, the ex-MP allegedly disseminated pro-Russian propaganda, publicly supporting the actions and decisions of Russia’s military and political leadership amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The SBI stated that these statements were designed to foster anti-government sentiment within Ukraine and contained elements of psychological manipulation aimed at undermining the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, defense capabilities, and national security.

“The suspect’s public statements were clearly designed to harm Ukraine’s sovereignty and security interests during a time of national crisis,” an SBI spokesperson explained.

In addition to the treason charges, investigators discovered that the former deputy had failed to submit mandatory electronic financial declarations as required by Ukrainian law. The missing declarations include annual filings for 2021 and 2022, a declaration covering the period from January 1 to February 24, 2023 (related to the termination of his parliamentary powers), and an annual post-dismissal declaration for 2023.

The SBI has formally notified the suspect of charges under Part 2 of Article 111 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code (treason committed under martial law) and Article 366-3 (intentional failure to submit declarations by a person authorized to perform state functions). If convicted, the former MP could face life imprisonment.

This latest case represents an escalation in Ukraine’s efforts to prosecute individuals accused of collaboration with Russia during the war. The OPZZh party, which had been considered pro-Russian, was banned in Ukraine following the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The Bureau also noted that this is not the first criminal proceeding against this particular former lawmaker. In May 2023, the SBI completed a pre-trial investigation in a separate case against the same individual and forwarded the indictment to court. In that instance, he faces charges of treason under Part 1 of Article 111 and inflicting minor bodily harm to a veteran of Ukraine’s Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) under Part 1 of Article 125.

This case emerges against a backdrop of broader anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine. In a separate investigation, authorities recently exposed a group of MPs for allegedly organizing a systematic scheme to receive bribes in exchange for votes on draft legislation. According to investigators, these payoffs ranged from $2,000 to $20,000 depending on voting outcomes, with at least $145,000 in illegal benefits recorded during November and December alone.

Ukraine has intensified its crackdown on corruption and alleged collaboration with Russia as it continues to defend against the invasion while simultaneously pursuing reforms needed for potential European Union membership.