Security Service of Ukraine opened 34 criminal proceedings against users of VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social networks
Since early 2017, the Security Service of Ukraine has opened 34 criminal proceedings against users of the social networks, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, on charges of spreading anti-Ukrainian propaganda, the press service of the SBU reports.
"During January - June 2017 the SBU filed cases against the account owners and administrators of the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, for disseminating appeals to overthrow the constitutional system and state power in the country, as well as encouraging riots and other unlawful actions. In total, 34 criminal cases were registered 27 people are under suspicion and there have been 27 convictions based on violations of Article 109 (actions aimed at violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power), Article 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine), and Article 258-3 (creation of a terrorist group or terrorist organization) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," the report says.
In addition, the SBU prevented another episode of the Russian Federation hybrid aggression against Ukraine. "The intentions of the foreign special services were discredited. They wanted to use of a network of more than ten internet sites to spread Russian propaganda and destructive materials among Ukrainians which contained individual appeals to commit crimes. The identification and investigation of these crimes is attributed to the competence of state security bodies," the report says.
According to the SBU, at the end of 2014, during one Ukrainian citizen’s working visit to Russia, his passport was stolen at the Voronezh railway station just before returning home.
"This circumstance was skillfully used by employees of the enemy’s special services. Using the information from the stolen passport, about ten websites were registered. This information was used by the aggressor country as part of the hybrid war to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. The sites were blocked thanks to the measures undertaken by the Security Service of Ukraine," the special services reported.