The SSU has exposed a group of civic ‘activists’ who were preparing a series of provocations in Kyiv on 30 June this year.

According to the investigation, the group was headed by a co-founder of an NGO known for its anti-Ukrainian actions since 2015.

Under the pretext of holding a so-called ‘veche’ [a people’s assembly], the perpetrators planned to announce a ‘removal from power’ of the current military and political leadership of Ukraine.

Then they hoped to seize the building of the Parliament of Ukraine and block its work.

In order to gather people, the provocateurs were supposed to hold an allegedly peaceful rally in Kyiv’s centre. However, they planned to use most of the participants without disclosing their true intentions regarding provocations.

The organizers planned to disseminate the information about the ‘unrest’ in Kyiv through domestic and foreign information resources. In this way, they hoped to undermine the socio-political situation inside Ukraine, which would have played in russia’s hands.

To implement their criminal intentions, the main organizer involved several accomplices – representatives of NGOs from Kyiv, Dnipro and from other regions.

For conspiracy, communication was carried out through various messenger apps, and if they met, they did so in small groups of three.

The SSU disrupted the hostile plans at an early stage, documented the subversive activities and detained the organizers.

During the searches of the suspects’ homes, the investigators found weapons and ammunition, mobile phones, computer equipment and written records with evidence of the crime.

The SSU has notified the detainees of suspicion under Article 109.1, 109.2, 109.3 of the CCU (actions and calls for actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power).

The court has chosen custody as a measure of restraint for the suspects. The investigation is ongoing.

The persons involved in the crime face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Ivano-Frankivsk region under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.