Lawyer Olha Panchenko was detained in Odesa on suspicion of links to Russian GRU

In Odesa, the Security Service of Ukraine detained lawyer Olga Panchenko, who was defending Oleg Maltsev, a suspect in the creation of a Russian-flagged militant group. The detention took place after a search of her apartment on April 15.

According to the information, the lawyer, who has the status of a member of the Committee for the Protection of Professional Rights, was detained as part of a criminal case related to her activities in defending Maltsev. Oleg Maltsev was detained in September 2024.

The SBU conducted a search of Panchenko’s premises, with Bar Council member Yevhen Ivanchenko also present. The protocol recorded all comments made during the search.

After the search, the lawyer was detained by Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

In connection with these events, the Bar Council of Odesa Region held an urgent meeting of the Committee for the Protection of Professional Rights to discuss the strategy for protecting Panchenko’s rights and assess the actions of law enforcement officers.

Olga Panchenko has also become involved in a scandal involving pressure on media representatives in the Odesa region. Earlier, several journalists accused her of harassment and asked the head of the National Union of Journalists in Odesa to resign.

A new department will be created in Odesa to deal with military registration and mobilization.