A spokesman for the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine's Defense Ministry has announced that Tymofiy Nahorny, a businessman, a volunteer, and former husband of [1996 Olympic champion] Liliya Podkopayeva, had been given an assignment by the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation to establish a political party in Ukraine to promote Russia's foreign policy interests and destabilize the situation in Ukraine.

"During the pretrial investigation, which is being conducted by the SBU's Investigation Department in the City of Kyiv and Kyiv Region under the procedural administration by the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office, we received information that the above-mentioned public figure had been recruited by the Russian FSB," Oleh Valendiuk, head of the SBU's Main Directorate in Kyiv and Kyiv region announced at a news briefing in Kyiv on October 22.

He said that Nahorny was assigned by his handlers from the FSB to establish and develop a political party as an instrument to promote Russia's foreign policy interests and as an element for the destabilization of the situation in Ukraine.

"That entity was supposed to take part in the elections, lobby for and protect the interests of Russia, prevent Ukraine's entry into the EU and NATO, and call for granting the Russian language an official state language status in our country," Valendiuk said.