The Security Service of Ukraine and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine detained a Russian agent in Poland from Viktor Medvedchuk’s circle.

His name is not officially disclosed, but according to BBC Ukraine sources, it is Kyrylo Molchanov – a political commentator who left for Russia after the full-scale invasion began.

Molchanov was initially detained in Poland and later transferred to one of Kyiv’s detention centers. The SSU called this operation a multi-step special operation on EU territory, noting that for the first time since the invasion, a Russian agent working against the state in the information field had been transferred to Ukraine at their request.

According to the intelligence services, Molchanov was recruited simultaneously by two Russian intelligence services – the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

His main tasks were to discredit Ukraine on the international stage and destabilize the internal situation in partner countries.

Until 2022, he worked as a political commentator and was the deputy director of the Ukrainian Institute for Analysis and Management of Politics.

In 2019, Detector Media included him in the list of supporters of pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk. Molchanov regularly appeared on his television channels, criticizing pro-Western initiatives of the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate.

After the start of the full-scale war, he moved to Russia, where he became a frequent guest on the programs of propagandist Vladimir Solovyov. According to the SSU, he appeared on Solovyov’s shows at least 35 times, justifying Russia’s aggression.

He also actively participated in the propaganda projects Another Ukraine and Voice of Europe, calling on Ukrainians to leave the country, spreading Russian narratives, and claiming that Orthodox Christians were being persecuted in Ukraine.

The SSU accuses him of organizing pro-Russian protests in the EU, calling for the cessation of international support for Ukraine, and inciting terrorism.

For this, according to the investigation, he used his Telegram channel, reposting chatbots from Russian intelligence agencies that gathered information on Ukrainian troops.

Based on the gathered evidence, the Security Service investigators notified the detainee of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 436-2 and Part 6 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, glorification of its participants, and collaborationist activities).

The investigation is ongoing. The operation was conducted under the supervision of the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.