During lockdown, SBU identified 79 people who were spreading the COVID-19 fakes, including four agitprops, managed by Russian side. 

The officers of the SBU Department of Counterintelligence Protection of State Interests in Informational Security Sphere identified pro-Russian agitprops in Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv and Kharkiv cities. Investigation is ongoing within the criminal proceedings initiated for trespass against territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine.

Another 28 people, identified jointly with the National Police, have already been brought to administrative responsibility stipulated by Article 173-1 (spreading rumors that may cause panic among the population or disturbe public order) of the Code of Administrative offences of Ukraine.

Cyber specialists also blocked over 1,000 Internet communities for spreading fakes. The total number of followers is more than 500,000.

If it is proved that the offenders were managed by “curators” from Russia and temporarily occupied territories, the punishment will be re-qualified in accordance with the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

We emphasize that the SBU takes proactive measures in order to decrease a number of above-mention incidents and to prevent destabilization in the country.

In particular, the SBU counteracts the export of anti-epidemic goods prohibited by the Government.

For instance, the SBU prevented the illegal export of 80,000 medical masks
(total cost tops USD 126,000) and almost 40,000 medical gowns worth EUR 42,000 to the EU.

SBU also blocked the activity of the organized group importing poor quality medicines and fake COVID-19 testing kits into Ukraine.