Ukraine charges in absentia Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan for promoting genocide

Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan has been charged in absentia for promoting genocide and other crimes against Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on Monday. 

According to the press release, Simonyan faces new charges under the Ukrainian Criminal Code articles for public calls to genocide, promoting encroachment on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, spreading war propaganda, and justifying Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. 

The SBU also said that it is taking “comprehensive measures” to prosecute Simoyan, who was charged in absentia because she lives in Russia.

The SBU previously brought charges in absentia against Simonyan for promoting encroachment on Ukraine’s territorial integrity in March 2023. In its press release on Monday, the SBU described Simonyan as “one of the first to support” Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent war crimes of its occupying forces. 

At the time of this writing, Simonyan had yet to comment on the charges.