SBU suspects notorious musician of war propaganda after he fled to Russia

Yurii Bardash, a Ukraine-born producer and musician who fled to Russia after the outbreak of the full-scale war, is suspected of spreading war propaganda and justifying Moscow's aggression, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on May 22.

Bardash used to be a producer for well-known Ukrainian bands and artists such as Quest Pistols, Griby, Wellboy, and Luna and later pursued a solo career under the stage name Youra.

The musician publicly supported Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Shortly after the outbreak of the all-out war, Bardash reportedly fled from Ukraine to Georgia and then to Russia. He obtained Russian citizenship in January.

Bardash calls for the seizure of the cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv and "regularly" reiterates Russian propaganda narratives on social media and in pro-Kremlin shows on YouTube, according to the SBU.

Bardash is suspected under four articles of Ukraine's Criminal Code, including public calls for a violent change of the constitutional order, distribution of materials calling for changes in Ukraine's borders, war propaganda, and justifying and denying Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, the SBU said.

If detained and convicted, he might face up to 10 years in prison.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York