Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) on Saturday charged former Member of Parliament and businessman Vadym Novynskyi with high treason and incitement of religious hatred in absentia. Despite Novynskyi not being explicitly named by the statement of the law enforcement agency, local media reported that the description and thumbnail of the video attached showed that the SBI was referring to him.

The SBI claimed that Novynskyi has been a public promoter of Russian narratives in his capacity as a subordinate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), carrying out the agenda of a hostile foreign entity. Additionally, Novynskyi has been a constant supporter of the Russian policy of aggression by making public speeches in support of such policies, the agency’s statement said.

Novynskyi was notified in absentia that he was suspected of high treason under Article 111 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code and violating the equality of citizens based on their racial, national, regional and religious beliefs under Article 161 of the criminal code. The maximum penalty for committing such acts is up to 15 years imprisonment with or without confiscation of property.

Novynskyi owns Smart Holding Group which, alongside owning large assets in the oil and gas sectors, focuses on agriculture and banking. In 2014, during the disputed Crimean referendum to join Russia, Novynskyi stated that he was ready to sell his assets there.

In 2022, however, he was linked with assisting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The businessman was later included in a Ukrainian sanctions list in January 2023, which subjected him to a five-year asset freeze.