Renowned Russian director Bortko has been placed under investigation by the SBU
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The Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Prosecutor General have served a notice of suspicion in absentia to Russian director, screenwriter, and former State Duma deputy Vladimir Bortko. According to the investigation, he justified Russian aggression and publicly called for the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine.
According to the SBU, investigators have gathered evidence that Volodymyr Bortko used Russian television channels and online platforms to spread Kremlin propaganda and justify a full-scale war against Ukraine.
According to the case file, in an interview with a Russian propaganda outlet, he called on the Russian Federation’s military and political leadership to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
Additionally, according to law enforcement officials, Bortko repeatedly questioned Ukraine’s statehood and advocated for the complete occupation of Ukrainian territory.
What is known about the suspect
The SBU noted that Bortko is the writer and director of a number of Russian films and TV series, including “Gangster Petersburg” and “Streets of Broken Lanterns.”
From 2011 to 2021, he served as a deputy in the State Duma of the Russian Federation, where he openly supported the occupation of Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
After the start of the full-scale invasion, the director regularly appeared in Russian media, where he spread anti-Ukrainian narratives and supported the Kremlin’s actions.
Charges
Based on the evidence gathered, SBU investigators notified Volodymyr Bortko in absentia that he is suspected of violating Article 436 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (propaganda of war) and Part 3 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (justifying, recognizing as lawful, or denying the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine, and glorifying its participants through the use of mass media).
The SBU noted that measures are ongoing to bring the suspect to justice. The pretrial investigation is being conducted under the procedural supervision of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
As a reminder, the Security Service of Ukraine reported conducting a special operation in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region. According to the agency, a coordination center and a deployment point for Russian FSB personnel were targeted.
Author
Anastasia Nykonchuk news feed editor
All materialsShe studied at the I. Ya. Franko Zhytomyr State University, majoring in “Publishing, Editing, and the Fundamentals of Journalism,” as well as at the National Aviation University, majoring in “Journalism.”
She has been working in journalism since the early 2010s. She has worked for the publications “Haser,” “Stina,” “Cursor,” and “RBC-Ukraine.”