Ukrainian pacifist leader slams intelligence agency over 'disinformation' claims
Yuriy Shelyazhenko, head of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, has accused Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of spreading false claims about the peace movement. He called their recent statement 'blatant disinformation' designed to undermine anti-war activists.
The dispute follows an HUR article warning of alleged political interference by pacifists at the Munich Security Conference. The HUR report claimed three individuals were directing the pacifist movement on Moscow’s orders. Two of these people face EU entry bans, while the third has returned to Russia. Shelyazhenko dismissed the allegations as unfounded and demanded clarification, but the HUR has not yet responded.
He stressed that pacifists do not support Russian aggression but oppose militarisation as a solution. In his view, criticism of military policies should not be treated as disloyalty. Instead, he argued that militarism must not become a mandatory state ideology.
Sheliazhenko also highlighted growing stigmatisation of pacifist beliefs in Ukraine. He called for stronger civilian resistance structures and nonviolent defence strategies across Europe. His long-term goal is to reduce reliance on military security by building societal resilience through peaceful means. The HUR’s claims remain unanswered by the intelligence agency. Shelyazhenko’s statements reaffirm the pacifist movement’s opposition to both Russian aggression and unchecked militarisation. The debate reflects wider tensions over Ukraine’s security policies and the role of nonviolent activism.
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