The IPI global network today condemns a recent lawsuit by Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov targeting leading Ukrainian media who referred to him as “pro-Russian”. The lawsuit is the latest in a series of complaints that Portnov filed against media. This week, a court in Kyiv ruled in favour of Portnov in this most recent lawsuit, amplifying concerns by Ukrainian and international observers that the politician might be using his influence to obtain favorable verdicts.
On September 23, the Shevchenkivskyi district court of Kyiv ruled in favor of Portnov in a defamation case against several news outlets, including The Kyiv Independent. The case stemmed from a reference to Portnov in a recent article, in which the politician was described as “pro-Russian” and a person “infamous for his open support for Russia.”
The court obliged the outlets to rectify these claims and pay Portnov 80 thousand hryvnias in compensation. The Kyiv Independent’s chief editor, Olga Rudenko, said that her outlet and the other defendants in this case would appeal the ruling.
The story which served as the basis of the accusation was written by Glib Kanievskyi, then a Ukrainian journalist and currently a defense ministry official. It was published in several Ukrainian news outlets in September 2023.
In his story, Kanievskyi suggested that Ukrainian officials impose sanctions on “petty pro-Russian politicians” but ignore more high-profile cases. Portnov served as a top official in the administration of former President Viktor Yanukovych, and left the country for Russia after the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, though he later returned to Ukraine in 2019. In 2021, Portnov was sanctioned by the U.S. for alleged high-level corruption, especially in Ukraine’s judicial system.
In response to the story, Portnov sued the author of the report and the news outlets that ran it, namely Statewatch, LB.ua, and The Kyiv Independent as represented by Chief Editor Olga Rudenko.
This lawsuit is only the latest in a series of successful legal battles against media waged by Portnov. According to IPI monitoring, Portnov had filed lawsuits against media critical of his activities at least four more times since April 2023, when a first case of this type was registered. IPI monitoring showed that aside from Portnov, no other figure in Ukraine was known to have sued journalists this often in recent years.
Portnov’s lawsuits all targeted leading outlets, such as weekly NV, TV channels Hromadske, Pryamiy and Channel 5, and news websites Ukrainska Pravda, Censor.Net and Focus.ua. Three of these lawsuits were filed after the outlets described Portnov as “pro-Russian” or reported on his visits to Russia, while one case concerned the former official’s alleged involvement in an arson attack on a journalist’s car.
“It is baffling to see Ukrainian courts punish media for doing their job, which includes reporting on high-profile political figures and on allegations surrounding their activities,” said IPI Interim Executive Director Scott Griffen. “Journalists should not face retaliation for expressing a judgment in their reporting. This ruling should be overturned on appeal and Ukrainian courts must ensure that their rulings uphold press freedom and freedom of expression as fundamental elements of democracy.”
He added: “IPI is also concerned to hear allegations that Portnov could have influenced court rulings. Ukrainian authorities must take appropriate steps to prevent such influence and protect judicial independence as guarantors of journalists’ rights.”
A lawyer by profession, Andriy Portnov is known as a former close aide to ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, with whom he eventually worked as deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential administration. Like Yanukovych, Portnov left Ukraine after the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, however he was able to return at the time of the election of Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019. He was reportedly again able to leave Ukraine following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022.
