A Ukrainian court has ordered the detention of a former government minister for 60 days without the possibility of bail on suspicion of advocating pro-Russian sentiments and committing treason.
Nestor Shufrych is accused of maintaining communications with a fugitive Ukrainian politician suspected of working for Russian security services and of abetting attempts to incite pro-Moscow separatism in eastern Ukraine, according to the report.
Reports quoted Shufrych’s lawyers saying they would appeal the court’s ruling.
Shufrych has long been a member of pro-Moscow political parties, including one that has been banned since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
He was Minister of Emergency Services under disgraced President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled Ukraine following a huge protest in 2014 that resulted in Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
According to SBU investigators, he also had strong ties with Viktor Medvedchuk, a business magnate and former politician who was taken into exile in Russia last year in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
According to the investigators, Shufrych was carrying out orders from Russian and pro-Russian officials to push pro-Moscow policies within Ukraine.
According to reports, he met with separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and pushed Ukrainian officials to seek a deal with Moscow to create pro-Russian areas there.
However, despite the party ban, Shufrych remained a member of parliament and since 2019 has chaired a committee on freedom of speech.
Authorities said a search of Shufrych’s home on Friday found documents on creating separatist entities in eastern Ukraine as well as Russian medals and other regalia.
