The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has started criminal proceedings and has already ordered a number of examinations on the statements and publications of former MP Iryna Farion, the security service's press center said.

"The Security Service of Ukraine has initiated criminal proceedings and has already ordered a number of examinations on the statements and publications of former MP Iryna Farion. According to the investigation, in one of her interviews, the MP of Ukraine of the seventh convocation said she categorically does not accept Russian-speaking servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and cannot call them Ukrainians. This caused a wave of indignation among Ukrainian defenders and in general," the SBU said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

In addition, according to the intelligence service, the defendant published a message on her social networks with a screenshot of a message from a pro-Ukrainian student from temporarily occupied Crimea, which indicated the sender's name, surname and other personal data.

"This was the basis for his persecution by the Russian special services," the SBU said.

Criminal proceedings on these facts have been initiated under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Article 161 (violation of the equality of citizens depending on their race, nationality, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds), Article 435-1 (insulting the honor and dignity of a serviceman, threats to a serviceman), Article 163 (violation of the confidentiality of correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraphic or other correspondence transmitted by means of communication or via a computer), Article 182 (violation of privacy).

The SBU also initiated a psychological and linguistic examination of Farion's statements.