Update: On 5 March 2026, RSF received a response from the Ukrainian police in Transcarpathia stating that the June 2025 investigation into “obstruction of journalistic activity” was still ongoing, as was the July 2025 investigation into the journalist Olena Mudra, without providing further details.

“Overall, I feel the police don’t want to cooperate in this case, neither with me nor with my lawyer,” Olena Mudra told RSF, eight months after she filed a complaint with the courts in June 2025 for “obstruction of journalistic activity” and “invasion of privacy.” The smear campaign, which notably accused her of producing fabricated investigations on Russia’s behalf and involved fake videos and a photomontage depicting her in a Russian uniform, was launched after the journalist published an investigation into the construction of a controversial wind farm in the Carpathian Mountains. The videos are still circulating on Facebook and YouTube.

A mysterious complaint filed against the journalist

While her complaint was stagnating, in the week beginning 22 February, Olena Mudra learned that a criminal case had been opened against her without her knowledge, despite her statements to the police. According to an investigation published on 24 February by local investigative outlet NGL.media, the case against her was reportedly registered on 5 July 2025 following a letter accusing her and another Ukrainian environmental activist of embezzling funds to organise a fictitious event. The alleged author of the letter that triggered a fraud investigation into Olena Mudra — who presented himself as “Marik Fedirko” — most likely does not exist, according to the same journalistic investigation. The name is also linked to a fake Facebook profile that helped spread fake videos targeting the journalist. In one of these videos, a character bearing the same name appears to have been generated by artificial intelligence (AI), according to RSF analysis.

“The investigation into the smear campaign targeting Olena Mudra has made no visible progress, despite the fact it’s delivery of meaningful results is vital. The lack of headway in the investigation into the defamation campaign against her contrasts with the speed with which criminal proceedings were brought against her on the basis of anonymous, unsubstantiated allegations, according to information published by the Ukrainian investigative outlet NGL.media and corroborated by RSF. RSF calls on the Ukrainian police to carry out a rigorous and independent investigation.

RSF contacted the Ukrainian police in charge of the case but received no response.