Blogger from Vinnytsia was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud and insulting TCR military personnel
The Vinnytsia City Court has handed down a sentence to Oleksandr Shavliuk, the founder of a news agency and a blogger, finding him guilty of fraud and of insulting the honour and dignity of military personnel. He has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
This is reported on the court’s website, according to Censor.NET.
Case details
According to the investigation, Shavliuk systematically disseminated material aimed at discrediting mobilisation measures and the work of the TCR, as well as fostering a negative attitude towards TCR servicemen within society.
In addition to anti-Ukrainian propaganda, the blogger was involved in fraud: he organised fundraisers for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but spent the collected funds on his own needs.
During the trial, Shavliuk denied his guilt and refused to give evidence. The defence described the criminal proceedings against him as political persecution, writes "Suspilne".
However, the written and video evidence examined, the victims’ testimonies and the results of the linguistic analysis proved the opposite.
The court’s verdict
Although the court found insufficient evidence to convict him under the article on obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code), Shavliuk’s actions were classified under other articles:
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Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud);
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Part 2 of Article 435-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (insulting the honour and dignity of a military serviceman).
The final sentence is three years’ imprisonment.
Who is Oleksandr Shavliuk
Oleksandr Shavliuk is the creator of the YouTube channel "Shavlyuk MediaCor" and, according to YouControl, the owner of the law firm "PravoExpoGroup Shavliuk and Partners".
- Through a closed, paid Telegram group, he sold consultations and document templates for "appealing" against the TCR’s actions.
- Shavliuk was one of the most popular "experts" on mobilisation issues. He told his audience about the "atrocities" of the TCR, the "horrors" of the army and illegal mobilisation. In reality, in his videos, Shavliuk manipulates facts, stirs up fear and blatantly lies.
- The blogger had previously been detained in October 2024. According to the investigation, he was charged with fraud during fundraising for the military and with incitement to evade mobilisation. If the initial charges were proven, he faced up to eight years’ imprisonment.
