Three Ukrainian men have been charged with treason in Ukraine, as prosecutors allege that they were being paid off by Russian agents. The men are accused of assisting Rudy Giuliani and the Trump campaign in their investigation into Hunter Biden ahead of the 2020 election. Ukrainian prosecutors now claim that the trio was also working with Russian spies.
The individuals facing accusations of treason are Oleksandr Dubinsky, a current MP; ex-lawmaker Andriy Derkach; and former prosecutor Kostyantyn Kulyk. According to the BBC, prosecutors have stated that the men collaborated with Russian General Vladimir Alekseyev, the leader of Putin’s military intelligence unit GRU.
In exchange for their involvement in “information subversive activities” surrounding the 2020 US election, the men were allegedly paid $10 million. The Ukrainian State Investigative Bureau has stated that the individuals also followed Russia’s instructions to tarnish Ukraine’s image internationally, in an attempt to damage diplomatic relations with the United States and hinder Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and NATO.
Oleksandr Dubinsky, who denies the allegations, claimed that the charges are based on false statements made by senior state officials. In 2021, Dubinsky was expelled from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s political party, Servant of the People, after being sanctioned by the US for his involvement in political interference.
Kostyantyn Kulyk, one of the accused, has a previous history with the law. In 2016, he was indicted in Ukraine on charges of “illegal enrichment.” The New York Times reported that he was accused of living beyond his means and owned a car that was purchased for him by the father of a Russian military commander.
Andriy Derkach, who served in the Ukrainian parliament for seven terms, was accused of assisting Rudy Giuliani in his search for compromising information about Joe Biden. This prosecution effort is seen as a direct consequence of former President Trump’s persistent attacks on Hunter Biden and his attempts to discredit his father.
Throughout the lead-up to the 2020 election, Trump relentlessly targeted Hunter Biden, baselessly accusing him of corrupt activities. Trump’s phone call to Ukrainian President Zelensky, in which he requested assistance in investigating Hunter Biden, was a significant factor in his first impeachment in 2019.
These recent charges against the Ukrainian men shed further light on the complex dynamics of international political interference and the extent of Russian involvement.
