On 27 June, Olena Mudra, a journalist for Zakarpattia Online, filed a report with the Uzhhorod District Police Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Zakarpattia region, requesting the initiation of criminal proceedings under Articles 171 and 182 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — intentional obstruction of journalistic activity and violation of privacy. Following her report, a criminal case has been initiated.
Women in Media and the Human Rights Platform are providing legal support to Olena Mudra and urge law enforcement agencies to ensure an effective investigation and protect the journalist.
In her report, Olena Mudra describes an ongoing wave of information attacks that began in June 2025. Several anonymous websites have published materials containing baseless accusations of “working for the Kremlin,” “being part of a pseudo-environmental syndicate,” and “sabotaging the development of green energy.” These publications have used photo fakes, hate speech, and offensive generalizations. Also, the journalist’s personal data, such as her place of birth and maiden name, has been disclosed.
Without any evidence, Olena Mudra is being publicly accused of treason, collaborating with the enemy, and “lobbying Russian interests.” These allegations undermine her professional reputation and provoke public condemnation and hatred.
Mudra’s report also notes that her sources have informed her of discussions about the possibility of causing her physical harm. As a result, she has petitioned the police to apply personal security measures.
The journalist believes there is a clear link between this wave of defamatory materials and her professional activities, in particular her series of investigations into the operations of Wind Parks of Ukraine LLC in Zakarpattia.
Moreover, the information campaign against Olena Mudra is ongoing. On June 28, 2025, new materials containing elements of defamation and hate speech were published on websites with dubious editorial policies, lacking information about editors and founders, fact-checking, or author accountability. For example:
- The article Treason on Polonyna Runa: How Zakarpattia’s Pseudo-Environmentalists Mudra and Stankevych-Volosianchuk Scammed the LGBT Community Out of $53,000, published on the Poltava News Feed website. The said publication accuses Olena Mudra of fraud without any court verdict or official investigation, violating the presumption of innocence and journalistic standards. The text is filled with manipulative language: “scam,” “fraud,” “pseudo-environmentalists,” “swindlers,” and “sleeper agent.”
- The article Korchynskyi as Medvedchuk’s “Environmental Sleeper Agent,” in Zakarpattia, published on From-UA website. A collage depicts journalist Olena Mudra with a “Gazprom Grant” logo, which is blatant visual manipulation implying pro-Russian funding without any proof. The text directly links her activities to Medvedchuk and to “undermining Ukraine’s energy independence” — again without credible sources. It also falsely claims she holds a “Russian passport.” The so-called “investigation” relies on emotionally charged language: “grouping,” “moustache,” “pseudo-environmentalists,” “grants to undermine.”
These publications are part of a coordinated targeted campaign that relies on baseless accusations, manipulative statements, and the spread of personal data. The main goal of such attacks is to push the journalist out of the public community, instill fear, force self-censorship, and cause emotional exhaustion.
It is noticeable that the materials contain the same accusations, wording, and patterns: “pseudo-environmental syndicate,” “treason,” and “sleeper agent.” Visually and stylistically, the publications are formatted similarly, suggesting a common origin and orchestrated nature.