The State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) has reported suspicion of being involved in damaging Ukraine's defense capability and information security to an incumbent Ukrainian Member of Parliament.

An informed source told Interfax-Ukraine that it is about MP Yevheniy Shevchenko.

"The MP discredited the current government by distorting facts and events in the country and publicly called for changing the borders of the territory and the state border of Ukraine. [...] The MP made programs on his own channels, gave interviews to pro-Russian bloggers and experts. This content was then disseminated in propaganda media on the territory of the Russian Federation in order to create a public position in the territory of the aggressor state that this is the official position of the representative of the Ukrainian authorities," the SBI said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

In his programs, the MP spread information that asserted in the mass consciousness the opinion that allegedly the Ukrainian authorities have brought the country to complete collapse, loss of territories and people and that they cannot achieve peace. He also imposed the opinion that Ukraine is no longer able to win and should go to negotiations with the Russian Federation on any terms.

"As confirmed by a comprehensive psychological, linguistic and military expertise, the MP began to damage the defense capability and information security of Ukraine even before the full-scale Russian invasion. Thus, in 2021, he published inaccurate information about the absence of a threat of a full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Belarus. He also spoke about the incorrectness and inexpediency of the current external and domestic political course of our state," it said.

The MP also disseminated information aimed at discrediting Western partners and European values. In particular, he said that the West interferes not only in the domestic affairs of Ukraine and caused a war in the country, but also tries to undermine stability in Georgia and Moldova by influencing the elections.

The investigation also established his contacts with representatives of the Embassy of the Republic in Belarus after he went to the rostrum of the parliament with the flag of this country in September 2020. He repeatedly traveled to Belarus, where he met with representatives of business and political structures and even with the self-proclaimed president of the country. Referring to this very meeting, the MP spread the idea that there was no threat of attack of Russian troops from the territory of Belarus.

According to the investigation, under the patronage of the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, the MP and his close relatives conducted active business with representatives of this country, including in the market of electricity and fertilizers. Buying goods there at underestimated prices, they imported it to Ukraine through another European country and sold it much more expensive.

"The 'assistance regime' on the part of the Belarusian authorities allowed the MP to get EUR 1.5 million net profit for six months. At the same time, he was able to transfer only EUR 500,000 to Ukraine. The rest could not be obtained due to the blocking of dubious transactions by the financial monitoring of one of the European banks," the SBI said in its report.

During this time the MP bought and registered three luxury cars worth $500,000 in total to his relatives.

The MP is suspected of committing high treason on the grounds of a criminal offense under Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He faces up to 15 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The court will be asked to choose a measure of restraint in the form of detention.