Poland hands over Russian agent Molchanov to Ukraine
Propagandist Kyrylo Molchanov, a Russian agent and so-called "political expert" from Viktor Medvedchuk's media pool, has been handed over to Ukraine at the request from the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), the first such case since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. [Medvedchuk is a Ukrainian businessman and pro-Russian politician to whose daughter Putin is godfather – ed.]
Source: SSU; Ukrainska Pravda source in law enforcement
Quote from the SSU: "He was initially detained in Poland and is now in one of Kyiv's pre-trial detention centres. The case involves a 'political expert' from the media pool of Viktor Medvedchuk, who is suspected of treason.
According to case materials, the individual was recruited and worked simultaneously for two intelligence agencies of the aggressor state: the FSB and Russia's Foreign Intelligence. Under the occupiers' instructions, he was engaged in discrediting Ukraine on the international stage and destabilising the situation in partner countries."
Details: The SSU did not name the propagandist, but Ukrainska Pravda has information that it is Molchanov.
In 2022, Molchanov left for Russia, where he became one of the key ideologists behind Kremlin-aligned media projects – The Other Ukraine and Voice of Europe.
Molchanov was also a frequent guest on talk shows hosted by Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, appearing 35 times in 2023 alone, where he justified Russia's armed aggression and spread disinformation about Ukraine.
Additionally, Molchanov organised street protests in the EU to promote Kremlin interests, calling for an end to international support for Ukraine.
He publicly called for orchestrating targeted terrorist attacks in Ukraine, using his Telegram channel to regularly share Russian intelligence chatbots that collect reconnaissance data on Ukraine's defence forces.
Molchanov was served a notice of suspicion under Article 436-2.3 and Article 111-1.6 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants and engaging in collaborationist activities).
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