A member of the competition commission for selecting the leadership of the SAP initiates an audit of the activities of the Lachen Telegram channel
24 January 22:16
Lawyer Oleksiy Shevchuk, who was recently appointed to the Competition Commission for the selection of the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), reported on possible facts of extortion, fraudulent activities, and other illegal influence, which, according to him, may be related to the activities of certain Telegram channels, in particular, “Lachen Tut.” He reported this on Facebook, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“Over the past few days, representatives of business, government agencies, and public figures have approached me and my team to report possible extortion, fraud, and other illegal activities,” Shevchuk said.
According to him, this concerns the activities of Telegram channel administrators who position themselves as their “owners,” in particular the channel “Lachen Tut,” as well as persons associated with them.
Shevchuk said that some of the applicants had already prepared written statements about possible extortion and fraud. Others, he said, claimed that publications on certain Telegram channels could have consequences for their professional activities and the work of state institutions.
“Some applicants confirmed that the publications could affect the work of state bodies and officials, and are ready to provide relevant explanations and materials,” the lawyer said.
Based on the materials collected, according to Shevchuk, there are currently grounds for investigating the presence of signs of criminal offenses.
“In the coming days, we will continue to collect and verify information, after which, on Monday, January 26, 2026, applications will be submitted to law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Also, according to the lawyer, linguistic examinations of the channels’ posts and a separate legal analysis of the content of the publications will be carried out.
“If signs of the dissemination of materials that may correspond to the narratives of the aggressor state are found, additional appeals will be prepared regarding the relevant legal qualification,” Shevchuk said.
In addition, the lawyer appealed to persons who consider themselves victims of the alleged actions of Igor Lachenkov and/or persons associated with him, in particular Yevgeny Pronin, with a call to officially apply for the recording of circumstances and the provision of legal assistance.
At the same time, Shevchuk stressed that any legal assessment can only be provided within the framework of legal procedures.
“Final conclusions regarding the events and individuals can only be made based on the results of a pre-trial investigation and court decisions,” he stressed.
Igor Lachenkov, known under the pseudonym Lachen, is a Ukrainian blogger from Dnipro.
Lachenkov became a public figure with the start of full-scale war in Ukraine, when his channel gained a significant audience.
Lachenkov is the author and face of the Telegram channel “Lachen Writes.” As of now, the channel has over 1.5 million subscribers.
The “Lachen Writes” team previously reported that the channel’s popularity and readers’ trust are due to the fact that all information is carefully verified and there is no sensationalism or hype. However, if fakes appear in the feed, they are refuted.
