A Ukrainian court on Thursday ordered the temporary arrest of MP Oleksandr Dubinsky until June 5, 2026 in connection with an ongoing investigation into high treason, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) reported.
Investigators claim that despite being in custody, Dubinski continued to coordinate propaganda activities against Ukraine, using intermediaries to disseminate content on the Internet. Therefore, the court decided that Dubinski would be held in custody without bail after new charges of high treason were presented to him.
“According to the findings of linguistic and psychological expertise, his publications on Telegram, Facebook and YouTube harm the state and information security of Ukraine.” – DBR said in a statement.
The suspect allegedly organized a mechanism for conducting anti-state activities from pretrial detention – he prepared texts, recorded videos and gave instructions on how and where to publish materials, which undermined Ukraine's sovereignty.
Authorities said Dubinski used laptops without internet access to create materials and coordinate messages during meetings with lawyers. Operational data shows that the administrator of these resources was his wife, who is currently in Barcelona.
The case is part of a broader investigation into what the authorities call a pro-Russian network of influence, which, according to DBR, was coordinated by former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Derkach, currently a Russian senator under US sanctions.
The General Staff of Ukraine has published an intercepted conversation between Russian military personnel in which, they claim, the commander gives an order to behead two fallen Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian officials called the incident a deliberate war crime and said the Russian unit involved had been tentatively identified.
According to investigators, this network could have included people associated with Russian intelligence structures, as well as former Ukrainian officials. The group was to spread disinformation, attempt to influence political processes and promote narratives consistent with Russia's interests.
Oleksandr Dubinsky (first from left) in court in November 2023.Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images / Getty Images
Investigators emphasize that Dubinski was previously accused of high treason in 2023 – authorities say he was associated with a group working for Russian military intelligence (GRU).
According to prosecutors, the group aimed to destabilize the socio-political situation in Ukraine and discredit the country on the international arena.
Separately, Dubinski was placed under U.S. sanctions in 2021 for his alleged involvement in a pro-Russian disinformation campaign linked to interference in the 2020 presidential election, the State Department said.
Assets greater than declared income
There was also the issue of the politician's finances. According to official data, Dubinski's family income in the years 2003–2022 amounted to UAH 19.6 million (approx. USD 445,000), while the estimated value of the property belonging to him and his relatives reached approximately USD 2.5 million.which significantly exceeds the declared income.
Previous court decisions resulted in the seizure of several apartments, cars and other assets, and the investigation also revealed extensive resources of real estate and luxury cars related to the MP and his family.
According to official court documents, Dubiński commented on the property registered to his mother, saying: — Mom likes to drive fast.
Oleksandr Dubinsky in August 2023Vitalia Nosach/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images
Oleksandr Dubinsky faces up to life in prison
The MP also remained politically active on Telegram – he previously called for the impeachment of President Volodymyr Zelensky after a public diplomatic dispute involving the US.
The latest charges concern high treason committed during martial law, understood as providing assistance to a foreign state or organization in activities aimed at the security of Ukraine.
This crime is punishable by up to life imprisonment.
DBR emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing and possible guilt will be decided by the court after the proceedings are completed.
