New lawsuit against Ponomarev
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has filed a criminal case against former State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomarev (known in the Russian Federation as a foreign agent) for spreading fake news about the Russian military, TASS reported. The man left the country in 2014, was recognized as a foreign agent in his home, and was also sued for embezzlement.
“In relation to Ilya Ponomarev, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case for the deliberate dissemination of false information about the use of the RF Armed Forces. As part of this, law enforcement on Thursday began conducting a series of searches on the administrators of a number of Telegram channels in seven cities of Russia, as well as former Moscow city deputies, ”said the statement.
A TASS source announced that a search is being carried out on people who attended the “Congress of People’s Deputies” organized by Ponomarev in Poland on 4-7 November and were nominated in the capital elections in September 2022. “Nomination” platform.
In addition, the editors noted that Ponomarev supported the National Republican Army and Russia’s Freedom Legion. The first structure is involved in sabotage in Russian-controlled territory, and the second in conflicts against the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine.
Detentions and searches
A law enforcement source told RIA Novosti that searches were carried out in seven regions of Russia. According to the agency, Ponomarev abroad was put on the wanted list and arrested in absentia.
“Searches are being made against the administrators of Telegram channels and former Moscow city deputies on February Morning, who attended the so-called Congress of People’s Deputies in Poland,” the source said.
TASS, citing its anonymous source, explains that searches were conducted at the homes of former Moscow city deputies Sergei Tsukasov and Vladimir Zalishchak.
In addition, Moscow State University Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty Member Assoc. Lobanov is a union activist who participated in protests against the demolition of historic buildings. He also participated in the 2021 State Duma elections, but did not pass.
All men’s computer equipment, mobile phones and documents were confiscated. Citing a source, RIA Novosti reported that security forces are checking for possible links, among other things, between the administrators of Telegram channels and former lawmakers in the SBU and other foreign intelligence services.
On the website of the 86.RU portal published the same morning in Tyumen, the message “Police detained 86.RU Editor-in-Chief Nikita Kiforuk”. According to the editors, “He went to the regional capital with his family to celebrate the New Year.” The tools and phones of the journalist were confiscated.
Kiforuk “was able to call the 72.RU editorial office of our colleagues in Tyumen and report the detention.” He also explained that the security forces were looking for evidence of his connection with Ponomarev. Soon after, the editor-in-chief was allowed to go home.
The search associated with the Ponomarev case is also passed From 72.RU journalist Artur Galiyev.
“Today at 8 am, the security forces came to the editor-in-chief of 72.RU Artur Galiyev. They searched and got a computer, phone and flash drives. Their visit may be related to Ilya Ponomarev, who was recognized as a foreign agent in 2022, as security officials explained. They tried to establish a link between the Tyumen journalist and the former deputy, ”the editorial office said.
Galiev stressed that he “had no idea what kind of connection he had with Ponomarev.”
Who is Ilya Ponomarev?
Ilya Ponomarev, 47, was a State Duma deputy of the fifth and sixth convocations from the A Just Russia fraction.
He also worked at Yukos and was also an adviser to the head of the Skolkovo Foundation, Viktor Vekselberg.
In March 2014, he became the only State Duma deputy to vote against the annexation of Crimea to Russia. In June of the same year he went to the parliamentary United States.
In 2015, a criminal case was brought against him for complicity in embezzlement from the Skolkovo Foundation.
On June 10, 2016, the State Duma of the Russian Federation deprived Ponomarev of his auxiliary powers for systematic failure to fulfill his duties, including absence from plenary meetings of 30 or more calendar days.
Ponomarev has been living in Kiev since 2016. In October 2022, the Department of Justice added him to the list of foreign agents.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.