The SSU has collected evidence against Petro Symonenko, a former member of parliament, leader of the banned Communist party of Ukraine, who supported russia’s armed aggression.

During the occupation of Kyiv region, he requested russia’s top military and political leadership to arrange his ‘evacuation’ to the aggressor state.

In order to take Symonenko and his family out of the then-occupied village of Berezivka, Makariv district, the kremlin ordered a russian special purpose unit to be sent there.

Upon the detachment’s arrival in the Ukrainian village, the former MP personally met them and provided food and ‘cantonment’ for them at his home.

On 4-8 March 2022, the occupation special forces ‘escorted’ Symonenko and his family through their checkpoints to belarus.

From there, he moved to russia, where was appointed deputy chairman of the ‘central committee of the international communist association ‘Union of communist parties - communist party of the soviet union’’.

This is a fully pro-kremlin organization controlled by the russian communist party, headed by its leader, state duma member Gennadiy Ziuganov.

It was on his instructions that Symonenko launched a public campaign in support of moscow’s aggressive policy.

In October 2022, the former Ukrainian MP took part in the so-called ‘22nd International meeting of communist and labour parties’ held in Havana, Cuba.

During his speech at the event, Symonenko tried to legitimize the seizure of part of Ukraine’s territory and the activities of the terrorist organizations ‘L/DNR’.

Apart from that, on 21-22 April 2023, the communist took part in the congress of the ‘anti-fascist forum’ in Minsk.

There, he spoke in support of aggressive war against Ukraine and justified the kremlin’s narratives on the use of tactical nuclear weapons by russia.

Based on the evidence collected, Symonenko has been notified of suspicion under two Articles of the CCU:

• 109.3 (public calls for forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power, using mass media);
• 436-2.3 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014, including by presenting russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine as an internal civil conflict, using mass media).

The suspect’s actions may be additionally qualified under several other Articles of the CCU in the future.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

The investigation is carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.