Odesa Journalists Demand Resignation of NUJU Head Over Data Breach Scandal

Odesa media workers called on the head of the Odesa branch of the National Union of Journalists, Yuriy Rabotin, to resign and accused him of passing their personal data to Oleg Maltsev, who is accused of creating a combat group to overthrow the government.

This became known from an open letter addressed to Yuriy Rabotin by journalist Maria Kovaleva.

"We have learned for certain that the data of at least thirty journalists who signed an official complaint to the court are now at the disposal of the defendant in the case, Maltsev. The person who used to systematically persecute journalists has gotten his hands on the phones and other personal data of those he considered a target. This became possible thanks to you, Yuriy Anatoliyovych. According to available information, it was you who handed over to Maltsev the materials with the personal data of the signatories. Thus, you have not just neglected ethical standards - you have jeopardized the lives, health and safety of journalists and their families, including those who are currently on the front line," the authors of the appeal emphasized.

The journalists insist that such actions may fall under Article 182 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - "Violation of privacy", which entails criminal liability.

In a comment to Detector Media, Kovaleva said that she had received screenshots of correspondence between Maltsev and Yuriy Rabotin from her own sources, where the latter reports on the journalists' signatures under the suspect's description. There is also a screen of a message in which Maltsev tells his lawyer Yevhenia Tarasenko about the information he received.

Yuriy Rabotin himself told Intent that he would not comment on the open letter for now.

"I need to understand the situation first, and then comment on it," he explained.

Yuriy Rabotin is an honored journalist of Ukraine, member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine, author of books of poetry and prose, and winner of several literary awards. However, the Myrotvorets website calls him a separatist and one of the organizers of pro-Russian demonstrations in Odesa.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine also expressed its position. They reported that they were "concerned about the information about the conflict situation" and condemned the "dissemination of personal data."

In September 2024, the military counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Bureau of Investigation neutralized the operational and combat group of the Russian military intelligence in Odesa. More than 70 firearms with optical sights and ammunition, as well as body armor, helmets, ballistic goggles and other tactical equipment were seized from them. In the event of the capture of Odesa, the group members were promised positions in the local occupation administration of the Russian Federation.

The SBU did not disclose the names of the detainees, but a number of media outlets reported that it was Oleg Maltsev, who was accused in the media several years ago of creating a sect and harassing journalists. The journalists signed a reminder about the harassment and the sect and sent it to law enforcement. According to the journalists' statements, Yuriy Rabotin received these documents with the personal data of the media workers and handed them over to Maltsev's lawyer.

It should be noted that this is not the first scandal around the Odesa NUJU. In April 2021, the Institute of Mass Information reported that the Odesa regional organization of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine had issued membership cards to unauthorized persons with questionable relation to journalism. A video of the signed documents lying on the desk of the head of the Odesa organization of the NUJU, Yuriy Rabotin, was posted on the Facebook page of the Kherson Newspaper New.

Subsequently, the Odesa regional organization of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine canceled its decision to admit these people to its ranks.

Кирило Бойко