MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Former member of Russia’s State Duma, or lower house of parliament, Ilya Ponomarev (recognizes as a foreign agent) has been charged with high treason, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

"On the basis of the collected data, the FSB Investigative Directorate opened and consolidated into a single case criminal cases under article 275 (high treason in the form of siding with an enemy), part 2, article 205.5 (participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist under Russian laws), part 2, article 205.2 (public calls in the internet for terrorist activities), provision ‘v’ of part 2, article 280.4 (public calls in the internet for activities aimed against Russia’s security) of the Russian Criminal Code," it said.

The investigation continues. "Actions by all those involved will be qualified under the Russian Criminal Code and accomplices of the Kiev regime will be strictly punished," the FSB added.

Since 2014 Ponomarev has been actively supporting the Kiev regime and publicly condemning Crimea’s reunification with Russia. Since the beginning of the special military operation, he has been publicly voicing support for armed units of the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion (both recognized as terrorist organizations in Russia), which were established in Ukraine and are fighting against Russian law enforcement and army servicemen. According to the FSB, he called on Russian citizens to commit a high treason by means of joining Ukrainian troops and fighting against Russia. "He also called for actions aimed at seizing power through ousting the current authorities and the Russian president," it said.

Ilya Ponomarev is taking part in the activities of the Freedom of Russia Legion, also known as Free Russia Legion, paramilitary association, which has been recognized as a terrorist organization by Russia’s Supreme Court, the Federal Security Service said.

"Along with conducting combat operations against Russia on the part of the Ukrainian armed forces, members of this organization use internet resources to recruit Russian citizens to commit extremist and terrorist crimes in the territory of our country," it said.

According to the FSB, Ponomarev is responsible for the organization’s relations with the Ukrainian mass media and government bodies and recruiting new members to fight against the Russian armed forces. "Ponomarev openly uses the military uniform, insignia and emblems of the Freedom of Russia Legion, possesses firearms and publicly demonstrates them when appearing on Ukrainian television. He says in public that he participates in combat operations against the Russian army on the part of Ukraine," it said.

Moreover, "in April 2022, Ponomarev was in the territory of the Azovstal plant, where he was conducting propaganda among the Azov regiment (outlawed in Russia as a terrorist organization) commanders calling on them to defend Mariupol," the FSB said, adding that in November-December 2022, he visited the combat engagement line in the Donetsk People’s Republic where he urged the Legion’s members to invigorate fighting against the Russian army.

Currently, Ponomarev is facing criminal charges under three articles of the Russian Criminal Code, including high treason.