The Security Service of Ukraine has detained abroad one of the Kremlin’s ideologues of the so-called special military operation (“SVO” in Russian, or war—ed.) against Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the SSU.

It is reported that the Security Service, together with foreign partners and the State Border Guard Service, conducted a special operation during which they detained Dmitry Chistilin, a Kremlin ideologue of Russia’s armed aggression.

The suspect is an assistant to Putin’s ex-advisor Sergei Glazyev, one of the main “moderators” of the seizure of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions and the developer of the “Information Warfare Strategy” that justifies Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

During 2016-2024, Chistilin prepared “analytical materials” for the Kremlin, in which he supported Russia’s armed aggression and the “integration” of the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine into Russia.

Providing assistance to Russian special services, the offender became the author of numerous publications aimed at conducting information sabotage against our country.

Chistilin also took an active part in promoting the Kremlin’s interests outside Russia. Among other things, he organized interference in electoral processes in Eastern and Central Europe in favor of Moscow.

Acting allegedly on behalf of the Ukrainian public, the defendant participated in so-called “round tables” in European countries. During such events, he spread Kremlin narratives, hoping to reduce support for Ukraine from Western partners.

Following Chistilin’s participation in one of these “forums,” he was detained by the SSU in cooperation with law enforcement officers from the Republic of Moldova while he was attempting to return to Moscow through third countries.

Due to the SSU, the suspect, who left Ukraine before the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, is now in custody and has been notified of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• p. 2 of Art. 111 (high treason committed under martial law);
• p. 3 of Art. 436-2 (justification, recognition as lawful, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants).

Currently, the facts of his assistance to the Russian military intelligence are being documented, in particular in creating mechanisms to circumvent the sanctions imposed on Russia.

The offender faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.