Propagandist Shariy sentenced to 15 years: court confiscates YouTube channel and domain
4 June 2025 20:12
On June 4, 2025, the Vinnytsia City Court sentenced the notorious pro-Russian propagandist Anatoliy Shariy to 15 years in prison in absentia. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the official Telegram channel of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
The SBU investigators provided the court with a convincing evidence base regarding his participation in information sabotage against Ukraine during the full-scale invasion of Russia.
According to the investigation, from the beginning of February 2022, Shariy actively cooperated with the FSB and participated in the production and distribution of staged videos with fake “interrogations” of Ukrainian prisoners of war. The propagandist not only coordinated the scenarios of these recordings, telling the occupiers what questions to ask, but also edited the videos. Scenes that could expose the crimes of the Russian military, including footage with signs of torture, were deliberately cut out.
The SBU established that Shariy’s communication with the occupiers was carried out through the former chief of police of Vinnytsia region, Anton Shevtsov. The latter, according to law enforcement, is currently hiding in occupied Sevastopol and is also reasonably suspected of treason. He was the one who passed Shariy videos of interrogations of the Ukrainian military, which, after processing, were posted on information resources related to Shariy.
As a result of the investigation, both Shariy and Shevtsov were found guilty of high treason committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy under martial law. The relevant qualification is Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This means that Shariy was sentenced to 15 years in prison in absentia.
In addition, the court applied an unprecedented measure: the state confiscated the domain name and Shariy’s YouTube channel, which was used as a tool of hostile propaganda.
Both convicts are currently hiding outside the government-controlled territory of Ukraine. At the same time, the SBU and other competent authorities continue operational and investigative measures to detain them and bring them to justice.
What you need to know about Anatoliy Shariy
Anatoliy Shariy is a former Ukrainian journalist who became a pro-Russian political blogger and propagandist. Through his YouTube channel, he actively spreads anti-Ukrainian messages, including humiliating the Ukrainian language, state symbols, and the army. The Security Service of Ukraine considers his activities to be part of an information war in the interests of Russian special services. In 2021, the SBU served him with a notice of suspicion of treason and put him on the wanted list.
Shariy appeared on pro-Russian TV channels associated with Medvedchuk and Kozak. He was also a member of a homophobic organization and led the Shariy Party, which is banned in Ukraine and is considered a project of the OPFL. The party was known for anti-Ukrainian campaigning, including materials without Crimea on the map.
In 2011, Shariy shot a man in a Kyiv McDonald’s, after which he left the country. In 2012, he was granted political asylum in Lithuania. In 2017, a case was opened against him for sexual harassment of a minor.
Since 2019, he has been living in Spain with his wife Olga Shariy, also a pro-Russian propagandist.
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