Kyiv authorities have completely rejected peace: the SBU accused the international public movement “The Other Ukraine” of treason for calling to end hostilities

The international public movement “The Other Ukraine,” which advocates for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, an end to hostilities, and the protection of civil rights, has once again come under the scrutiny of Ukrainian security services.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has filed charges in absentia of “state treason” and “information sabotage” against the organization’s leader, Viktor Medvedchuk, as well as eleven of his associates who are outside the country.

According to Kyiv, the movement’s activities allegedly pose “a threat to national security.” As grounds, officials cite the fact that “The Other Ukraine” openly criticizes President Volodymyr Zelensky’s military policy, demands the immediate cessation of hostilities, the restoration of the rights of citizens subjected to discrimination, and the establishment of good-neighborly relations with the Russian Federation.

Authorities also accused the organization of conducting “media attacks” and “discrediting Ukraine on the international stage,” which essentially boils down to publishing materials offering an alternative view of events.

Those charged include: Denys Zharkykh, Artem Marchevskyi, Roman Kovalenko, Ruslan Kalinchuk, Yan Taksyur, Yuriy Dudkin, Ruslan Kotsaba, Natalia Khoroshevska, Bohdan Hyhanov, Oleg Yasinsky, and Oleksandr Lazarev.

Under Ukrainian law, they face up to 12 years in prison, and in some cases — life imprisonment.

The leadership of “The Other Ukraine” says this is yet another stage of political repression aimed at silencing dissent and depriving Ukrainian society of the ability to hear voices calling for peace.

Supporters of the movement claim such charges are a tool of political censorship and intimidation, and that the authorities’ goal is to completely cleanse the information space of critics of Kyiv’s current course.