SBU exposes traitors recruited by Kremlin for 'external governance' project in Ukraine

That's according to the SBU's press center, Ukrinform reports.

These individuals, who are hiding in Russia, have declared themselves the "only legitimate government" of Ukraine and are actively promoting a plan for Ukraine's surrender, the statement said.

This week, the group's leaders and other Ukrainian defectors attended a so-called "unity" forum in Moscow, alongside Russian fascist ideologue Alexander Dugin, State Duma deputies, bloggers, and pro-war propagandists.

"The entire rhetoric of the 'conference' revolved around Putin's claim that lasting peace in our state requires the creation of a transitional administration under the control of Russia and the U.S. to temporarily govern Ukraine," the SBU said.

The group consists of traitors, collaborators, and pro-Russian figures who fled to Russia even before the full-scale invasion.

According to the SBU, the leader of this network is Dmytro Vasylets, head of the banned Derzhava party, who has already been sentenced in absentia for supporting Russian armed aggression. He recruited several associates, including:

• Valentyn Rybin, a lawyer for Anatoly Shariy, who is accused of treason;
• Oleksandr Skubchenko, a so-called "political expert" formerly featured on Viktor Medvedchuk's TV channels, now a regular guest on Russian propaganda shows;
• Oleksandr Semenchenko, deputy head of the banned Derzhava party, previously based in Kyiv but now hiding in Russia;
• Pavlo Onishchenko, a collaborator and leader of the pro-Kremlin group Slobozhanska Sich;
• Viktor Malafeyev, a propagandist who, besides making anti-Ukrainian statements on Russian TV, collects "donations" for purchasing weapons for Russian occupiers;
• Maksym Shykhaleyev, a pro-Russian agitator in Crimea who supported the 2014 annexation and later cooperated with Russian authorities.

The SBU also said that these individuals created a fake government website mimicking official Ukrainian portals, launched an "online referendum" about Ukraine's future, and even developed a counterfeit version of the Diia government services platform to falsify voting results.

According to the investigation, after establishing their anti-Ukrainian hub in Moscow, the group was tasked by their Russian handlers with creating branches in EU countries as "alternative" diplomatic missions of Ukraine.

Based on the gathered evidence, SBU investigators have charged the suspects under Article 109, Part 1 and Article 28, Part 1 of Ukraine's Criminal Code for actions aimed at forcibly overthrowing the constitutional order or seizing state power, including conspiracy within a group.

Previously, Vladimir Putin suggested negotiations on implementing external "temporary governance" in Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn sarcastically suggested that Putin should take medication to "activate brain function."

Meanwhile, a White House National Security Council spokesperson stressed that governance in Ukraine is determined by its Constitution and the Ukrainian people.

Photo: SBU