Court remands Crimean MP and oligarch Novinsky in custody

A court has taken into custody a former MP from the banned pro-Russian Opposition Bloc party, Vadym Novynskyi. He is suspected of treason and inciting religious hatred in favor of Russia.

This was reported by the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation.

On September 15, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv imposed a pre-trial restraint in the form of detention on the former MP of several convocations from the banned pro-Russian party Opposition Bloc, who also served as a "curator" of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

According to investigators, he is suspected of treason and inciting religious hatred. Since 2014, the MP has been promoting pro-Russian narratives through the media, public speeches and social networks, trying to shape anti-government and pro-Russian sentiment in Ukraine and justifying Russian aggression.

Following the instructions of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev), he maintained close contacts with the church leadership and actually acted as a representative of a foreign religious organization in Ukraine. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia, he resigned as a deputy and is hiding abroad, but continues to conduct information activities that harm Ukraine's sovereignty and security.

The press service noted that the maximum sanction for such crimes is up to 15 years in prison with or without confiscation of property.

Former MP and owner of the Mykolaiv-based SMG Shipyard, Novynskyi, was notified of treason charges in January 2025. The investigation believes that he spread pro-Russian ideology and helped preserve the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine by using his political and economic weight to support pro-Russian narratives.

In particular, he actively organized and supported religious communities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Europe, spreading pro-Russian messages and building sympathy for Russian policies among the Ukrainian diaspora and parts of European society.

After the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, Novinsky moved to the European Union and continued to work in the interests of the aggressor country. According to the investigation, he systematically supports the Putin regime, exerts informational influence on Ukrainian and international audiences, and helps to preserve the influence of pro-Russian religious structures in Ukraine.

He is charged with high treason and actions undermining the national security of Ukraine, including support for Russia's military aggression against the Ukrainian state. Currently, the former MP is abroad, which makes it difficult to detain him directly and participate in court proceedings.

Анна Бальчінос