KYIV – The head of investigations in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has charged that Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Onyshchenko may have been spying for Russia.
Hryhoriy Ostafiychuk, head of the SBU’s Main Investigative Directorate, told reporters in Kyiv on December 1 that the SBU had obtained evidence that suggests treasonous activities by Mr. Onyshchenko.
Mr. Ostafiychuk alleged that Mr. Onyshchenko obtained a Russian passport from Russian authorities in exchange for assisting Russian secret services to destabilize Ukraine.
He also said that Mr. Onyshchenko had been preparing “a mass information attack” against Ukraine.
Mr. Onyshchenko left Ukraine for a European country in July after the legislature stripped him of his parliamentary immunity in the wake of an investigation into his alleged involvement in illegal natural-gas sales.
Mr. Onyshchenko rejected Mr. Ostafiychuk’s allegations – denying that he had Russian citizenship and suggesting he was facing a backlash from authorities because he gave evidence to U.S. intelligence officials on November 29 about what he described as illegal activities by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Based on reporting by UNIAN and Pravda.com.ua.