Court arrests pro-Russian lawmaker Shufrych without bail

The Pechersk Court in Kyiv put pro-Russian lawmaker Nestor Shufrych under arrest for 60 days without bail, Ukrainian news outlet Suspilne reported on Sept. 15.

Shufrych arrived at the Kyiv court earlier the same day after being charged with treason for subversive activities against Ukraine.

The lawmaker, who was handcuffed in the courtroom, plans to appeal the ruling, Suspilne wrote. If convicted, Shufrych faces up to 15 years in prison.

According to the media outlet, the hearing was closed to the public due to the prosecution's request, while Shufrych's lawyers objected, advocating for an open session.

Shufrych, elected for the now-banned party Opposition Platform — For Life, worked closely with a former Ukrainian official and an agent of Russian intelligence, Volodymyr Sivkovych, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) previously reported.

Sivkovych, who served as the deputy chairman of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council from 2010 to 2013 under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, was charged with treason in July last year. He is currently hiding in Russia.

According to the SBU, one of Shufrych's main tasks was spreading pro-Kremlin narratives in Ukraine, such as that Ukraine is an artificial entity or that Russians and Ukrainians are a single nation.

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