Kherson region: SBU serves suspicion to organizer of Russian propaganda

The Security Service of Ukraine has served a notice of suspicion to Russian journalist and key curator of the occupation media in Kherson region Oleksandr Malkevich. He publicly called for the seizure of Ukrainian territories and contributed to the implementation of the Kremlin's information policy.

The Center for Public Investigations found out how and where the Russian propagandist implemented the narratives.

The SBU charges Russian propagandist Malkevich with violating Article 110 (2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - dissemination of materials calling for changes in the boundaries of the territory and state border of Ukraine by a government official. He appeared in the Kherson region in September 2022, recruiting for the occupation media and systematically promoting pro-Russian narratives.

He is also a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg from the United Russia party and a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, which officially places him among the political elite of the aggressor state. Law enforcement officers found that he used his status to promote the occupation policy in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Coordination of propaganda

After the start of the full-scale invasion, the propagandist became one of the central figures in creating a pro-Russian information space in the occupied territories. According to the SBU, he coordinated the launch and operation of propaganda TV channels broadcasting to the districts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions. On his own social media pages, he regularly disseminated anti-Ukrainian materials, calling Ukrainian cities, including Kherson and Avdiivka, "an integral part of Russia" and openly calling for the establishment of Russian authorities there.

At the same time, he headed the so-called Department of Journalism at the seized Kherson State University and helped create a media school to train personnel for propaganda resources. In 2024, the propagandist made a movie about the so-called governor of Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo. At the same time, he is suspected in Russia of embezzling more than 35 million rubles allocated for the media promotion of a TV channel.

Anti-Ukrainian rhetoric

According to Detector.media, Malkevich has been actively creating new pro-Russian editorial offices in the occupied cities, including Mariupol 24, Tavria TV and ZaMedia. Due to the lack of journalists in the occupied territories, he began to train new personnel himself, teaching pseudo-journalism at the seized Kherson University and later in Berdiansk.

Under his leadership, media schools appeared in many occupied settlements, where students were immediately involved in propaganda media. The media he created promoted the same theses: the occupied cities were called "liberated," the Armed Forces were called "criminals," and residents who did not support the occupation were called "Banderites."

In addition, he had been a prominent figure in Russia even before the war began. As an associate of the owner of the Wagner PMC, Prigozhin, he participated in the creation of bot farms to influence elections in the United States and Libya. He also worked on the propaganda resource USA Really, which was supposed to become a Russian analog of Radio Liberty.

Sanctions and international wanted list

Because of his activities, he was subject to personal sanctions by the United States (2018 and 2021), and after the full-scale invasion, he was subject to sanctions by the EU, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Switzerland. The US has announced a $10 million reward for his capture or information on his whereabouts.

In 2023, the SBU already served him with a notice of suspicion for collaboration - creating propaganda media and assisting the occupation administration. If arrested, he faces up to 12 years in prison. In particular, he was involved in the organization of the pro-Kremlin Tavria TV and radio company, which currently operates in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region.

Анна Бальчінос