The court has chosen in absentia a measure of restraint in the form of detention without an alternative in the form of bail to the former MP of Ukraine Renat Kuzmin, according to the website of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) on Friday.

"He is suspected of high treason. As part of the pretrial investigation, the SBI officers established that the deputy, on the eve and after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, placed propaganda materials in the media to the detriment of Ukraine. In particular, starting from March 2021 and even after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine Renat Kuzmin voiced in his speeches, messages on social networks and on his own website information that was propagandistic in nature. Their goal was to create an anti-Ukrainian mood in society and informational influence to the detriment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability and security of the state," the SBI said.

Kuzmin's actions are qualified under part 1 of article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason), which is punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years with confiscation of property, the department said.

Kuzmin is a former MP. According to the SBI, as part of the pretrial investigation, it was established that Kuzmin, on the eve and after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, placed propaganda materials in the media to the detriment of Ukraine. On October 5, 2022, he was notified of suspicion of high treason.

As reported, on January 13, the Verkhovna Rada prematurely terminated the powers of five MPs, including Kuzmin.