Ukrainian Ex-MP Charged with Treason, Religious Hate
Former Ukrainian lawmaker and businessman Vadym Novynskyi, a wealthy individual and sponsor of a Moscow-backed church, has been charged in absentia with high treason and incitement to religious hatred by Ukrainian authorities. The State Bureau of Investigation alleges Novynskyi, a member of the banned Opposition Bloc, promoted pro-Russian narratives and acted as a handler for the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, following the instructions of Patriarch Kirill. He fled Ukraine after the full-scale invasion began and continues to engage in subversive activities abroad. A conviction could result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years.