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SBU charges Russian ideologue Dugin with genocide, anti-Ukrainian activities

2 min read
SBU charges Russian ideologue Dugin with genocide, anti-Ukrainian activities
Russian ultranationalist ideologue Alexandr Dugin at the New Horizons International Conference in May 2018. (Photo credit: Fars Media Corporation/Wikimedia

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has pressed charges against Alexandr Dugin, a Russian ultranationalist ideologue and the leader of the Eurasian Movement, SBU announced on June 14.

Dugin is considered suspect under the articles of genocide and encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

"(Alexandr Dugin) is one of the key ideologues of the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation and the genocide of the Ukrainian people," SBU wrote.

"In his numerous speeches and printed publications, he has been denied Ukraine's existence as a sovereign country for over 10 years and has called for its capture by Russian forces."

The Security Service noted that Dugin was one of the first Russian public figures to publicly support the occupation of Ukraine and justify war crimes committed on its territory since the start of the full-scale invasion.

As the suspect resides in Russia, the SBU is "conducting comprehensive measures to bring him to justice."

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Dugin espouses imperialist, ultraconservative, and anti-liberal ideas and promotes the restoration of Russia's imperial holdings through military means.

In his 1997 book Foundations of Geopolitics, he wrote that "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning, no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness."

Although he has been nicknamed "Putin's brain," his actual influence over Russia's dictator remains disputed.

Dugin has been sanctioned by Ukraine and several of its allies, including the U.S., Canada, the EU, and Japan.

The ideologue's daughter, Russian propagandist Daria Dugina, was killed in a car bomb explosion on Aug. 20, 2022.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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