MP Yevhen Shevchenko has been suspected of high treason. The Security Service, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Prosecutor General's Office collected evidence of this crime committed by the current MP.
According to the case, the defendant was systematically engaged in information and subversive activities in the interests of the aggressor state. This was reported by the SBU press service.
The MP used his own YouTube and Telegram channels, as well as broadcasts in the media, including hostile ones, to spread pro-Russian narratives.
An independent examination confirmed the facts of the defendant's criminal actions to the detriment of Ukraine's defence capability and information security.
‘In addition, as part of the pre-trial investigation, the SBU received evidence that during 2020-2023, the MP repeatedly visited Belarus, where he communicated with the leadership of this state and set up ‘schemes’ to purchase electricity and ammonia fertilisers for companies under his control at a reduced cost,’ the SBU added.
Subsequently, his affiliated commercial entities sold the relevant resources at artificially high prices to obtain excessive profits. According to the materials of the proceedings, the MP involved front men, including non-residents of the companies under his control, to implement the transactions.
Based on the evidence, the MP was served a notice of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason).
The issue of choosing a measure of restraint is being decided
Who is Yevhen Shevchenko?
Yevhen Shevchenko was nominated by the Servant of the People, but in September 2022 he joined the Restoration of Ukraine group (one of the groups created with the participation of members of the pro-Russian banned OPFL).
In the spring of 2021, despite the apparently undemocratic elections in Belarus, Shevchenko flew to meet with Alexander Lukashenko. He also praised the Belarusian regime for the detention of an opposition (at the time) blogger. At the time, the Servant of the People party said that the trip was the parliamentarian's own initiative, but still expelled him.
The same year, Shevchenko spoke in Belarus at the Slavic Bazaar.
In December 2021, Shevchenko himself said that the SBU had allegedly opened a treason case against him because of his support for the Belarusian regime. However, the Security Service denied the opening of the proceedings and reminded him that this could only be done with the approval of the Prosecutor General or his acting.
Shevchenko has continued to make questionable statements, including about Russia's war against Ukrainians, and recently wrote a post disparaging the president for starting negotiations with Putin.
Despite reports that Shevchenko was allegedly an agent of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the DIU denied this. At the same time, Kyrylo Budanov had previously said that he did help with contacts with Lukashenko.