SBU Cybersecurity experts prevented new attempts of Russian special services to destabilize the social and political situation in Southern Ukraine. A group of hostile online agents is exposed in Kherson.

By order of handlers, perpetrators via the social networks called to forceful take-over of government and change of state border of Ukraine. Moreover, Russian special services tasked them to discredit the Crimean Platform summit, its participants and results.

To hide their illegal activity, instigators posted the information under the name of opinion leaders.

For the spread of destructive content perpetrators gained money every month through the electronic payment systems banned in Ukraine.

It is established that several local citizens were involved in the said activity. They gained information for their posts from the Russian propaganda resources, as well as websites of illegal armed formations of so-called L/DNR.  

During the searches of perpetrators’ residences, computers with the evidence of illegal activity were exposed.

One of the organizers of the group was served a suspicion notice of actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or take-over of government. The case files were sent to the court.

The investigation is on-going to bring to justice all involved individuals.

In addition, pursuant to SBU materials, two hostile online agents from Dnipropetrovsk and Khmelnytsk regions were convicted.

They called to change the state borders, as well as to join southern and eastern regions of Ukraine to Russia via the social media.

During the searches of perpetrators’ residences, computers and means of communication were exposed.

Forensic linguistic expertise confirmed that the posts contained calls to commit offences against national security of Ukraine.

The court found the perpetrators guilty of trespass against territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine.

The SBU operations on prevention and detection of attempted information and subversive activity against Ukraine by foreign special services are on-going.