Head of the SBU Cybersecurity Department Illia Vitiuk said in an interview with Censor.net media website that in 2020, due to the SBU findings, 40 people were prosecuted for spreading destructive anti-Ukrainian propaganda and subversive activity in the information sphere.

"During 2020, the SBU initiated more than 50 criminal proceedings under various articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (in particular, for actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or take-over of government, trespass against territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, high treason, violation of citizens' equality based on their race, nationality or religious preferences), 40 people were prosecuted for spreading destructive anti-Ukrainian propaganda and subversive activities in the information sphere, 32 people were convicted, 158 foreigners involved in online propaganda of separatism are banned from entering Ukraine, "Illia Vitiuk said.

According to the SBU cyber expert, anti-Ukrainian propaganda is mostly financed and supervised by special services of the aggressor country. Moreover, in Ukraine, Russian narratives are presented to the public through opinion leaders and hyped "experts". "Their task is to interpret facts and events to advantage of the enemy. Experts are usually very careful in expressions in order to avoid falling under the Criminal Code. Hostile propaganda is disguised as "freedom of speech", "alternative point of view" or "political agitation" during elections", - Illia Vitiuk stressed.

To remind, in 2020 the SBU:

• • blocked more than 2500 social media communities with one million users and over 20 botnets with more than 60,000 accounts,
• • neutralized more than 600 cyber incidents and cyberattacks on public information resources,
• • suppressed activity of 20 hacker groups involved in the attacks.