Who is who in Ukraine. An overview of power and relations
This is an attempt to provide an overview of who in Ukraine politics has what role. Maybe it helps to understand a bit more about MH17.
The overview is far from complete. Please use the comments to add information.
Reforms are required to change Ukraine to the better. Reforms are required for IMF to loan more money. There are stong ties between president and prime minister and very rich businessmen.
And these businessmen and politicians are also linked to prosecutor and Ukraine Secret Service.
RT reports that IMF stopped loaning money.
Coalition between Maidan and April 2016
Ukraine government at the start after Maidan had 5 parties. The first session of the new parliament was on November 28, 2014. A powerful coalition of five parties, 4 of which were virtually founded on Maidan, has gained a constitutional majority in parliament for the first time in its history since independence.
There are other firsts too. The Communist Party of Ukraine, for one, will not have a single representative in parliament. There is also no openly pro-Russian lobby.
Fast forward to 2016; The Radical Party of Serhiy Lyashko has already left the five-party coalition. On February 17, Yulia Tymoshenko’s Fatherland Party departed, and Self-Reliance is about to leave. These departures will leave the coalition with only 136 deputies from the Poroshenko Bloc and eighty-one from Yatsenyuk’s Popular Front
Following the Verkhovna Rada’s failure to send the Yatsenyuk government to resignation on February 16, another faction, Batkivshchina, and a number of lawmakers with the pro-presidential Petro Poroshenko Bloc and Samopomoshch also withdrew from the coalition stripping it of the majority of 226 votes needed to pass decisions.
More:
http://tass.ru/en/world/864097
Coalition starting April 14, 2016
Volodymyr Groysman is the new prime minister.
Not in the new government are U.S-born Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko, praised by Washington for her handling of Ukraine’s debt crisis, and former economy minister Aivaras Abromavicius, who spearheaded a drive to privatize graft-ridden state firms, but resigned in protest over corruption in February
Political parties
The Petro Poroshenko Bloc, which has formed the most numerous faction in the parliament (148 out of 422 parliamentary seats), is clearly
influenced by two oligarchic groups: the group of Dmytro Firtash, who has links with UDAR, and the group of Ihor Kolomoyskyi, who was able to place his people on the list of candidates of this presidential bloc20. However, Kolomoyskyi clearly has the strongest influence on the People’s Front led by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (81 deputies). Several businessmen and volunteer battalion commanders linked to Kolomoyskyi were placed as candidates on this party’s lists.
People’s Will is a political party in Rada with a group of nineteen independent deputies . The party was established by Ihor Yeremeyev, a second-league oligarch from the oil sector.
Another group of independent deputies, Economic Development (19 seats) formed by Vitalyi Khomutynnik, is in turn within the orbit of Kolomoyskyi’s influence.
Apparently, Self-Reliance (32 seats) is the party least influenced by the oligarchs, even though it was clearly backed by the Kolomoyskyi’s TV station 1+1 during the election campaign.
The info above was taken from a good overview of oligarch’s influence on political parties. The document is titled ‘Oligarchs After The Maidan: The Old System In A ‘New’ Ukraine’ written by Wojciech Konończuk.
President Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko
President of Ukraine. Supposed to reform and get rid of corruption and dode-oligarchisation (remove power of oligarchs) . Criticized for slow reforms and not able to stop corruption and the influece of oligrachs to politics. Not good friend with oligarch Kolomoisky.
A quote from this article at The Russophile.org
Everything began with the growing popularity of Kolomoisky as governor of Dnipropetrovsk oblast. The rise in the “good oligarch’s” public opinion ratings was so quick and precipitous that Poroshenko perceived it as a threat. The president retaliated by aiming to deprive Kolomoisky of control over Ukrtransnafta, a lucrative state-owned company dealing with oil transportation. Kolomoisky reacted by sending in groups of armed men to “protect” the headquarters of Ukrtransnafta.
Prime Minister Yatsenyuk
Member of Popular Front party.
At February 16 a motion of distrust was prepared against Prime Minister Yatsenyuk.
Everybody expected Yatsenyuk would resign. However when the Rada voted, 43 members of the Opposition Bloc walked out of the Rada and did not vote. As a result Yatsenyuk could remain in power. The next opportunity to file a motion of distrust in only in September.
Andriy Parubiy
The deputy speaker of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada. Played a major role in EuroMaidan Revolution . Has relations with far right
Volodymyr Groysman
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada.Has a good relation with Poroshenko. Petro Poroshenko Bloc plans to hold a congress which is expected to support the candidature of Verkhovna Rada speaker Vladimir Groisman as Ukraine’s next prime minister. Groysman is not a reformer and will do nothing against corruption. He was mayor of Vinnytsia city
More:
http://tass.ru/en/world/864097
Valentyn Oleksandrovych Nalyvaichenko
On 24 February 2014, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) appointed Nalyvaichenko the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), on 18 June 2015 he was relieved of the office.
Rumoured to be involved in selling stolen Dutch ancient paintings.
Andriy Parubiy
Became the 12th Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. Is a former neo-nazi. In 1991 he founded the Social-National Party of Ukraine together with Oleh Tyahnybokm, the party combined radical nationalism and some neo-Nazi features (by its name and the “Wolfsangel”-like sign). In 1998–2004 Parubiy led the paramilitary organization of SNPU, the Patriot of Ukraine. Parubiy left these organizations in 2004. (source)
Oligarchs
A major role in Ukraine economics and politics are oligarchs. Forbes Ukraine made an overview of the amount of money oligarchs have.
Akhmetov $2,3B
Kolomoiskiy $1,3B
Gennadiy Bogolyubov $1,3B
Pinchuk $1,2B
Kosiuk $1B
Poroshenko $858M
Rinat Leonidovych Akhmetov is a Ukrainian businessman and oligarch. He is the founder and President of System Capital Management, and is ranked among the wealthiest men in Ukraine. He is rumoured to have friendly relations with Yetsenyuk.
He is also rumoured to have arranged that the voting for mistrust for PM Yatsenyuk failed at February 16.
Ihor Valeriyovych Kolomoyskyi is a Ukrainian-Cypriot-Israeli business oligarch of Jewish descent and the former Governor of Dnipropetrovsk. Kolomoisky affiliated ‘Renaissance Party’ did not vote for Yatsenyuk’s resignation at February 16, 2015. PrivatBank is owned by Kolomoisky’s and is the biggest bank in Ukraine.
Kolomoisky heads one of Ukraine’s largest business groups, known as Privat.
“With the regular Ukrainian army reluctant to shoot its own population, Kolomoisky’s units have participated in various military attacks on the east, including the May 9 assault on Mariupol, where several civilians were killed. Russian sources connect him to the massacre in Odessa. Members of the new governor of Odessa, appointed after the massacre, are his close associates.
Privatbank is owned by the Privat industrial group controlled by tycoon Kolomoyskyi and his partner, Henadiy Boholyubov. Privatbank is the largest bank in Ukraine. Privat Group controls scores of companies in almost every industry in Ukraine, European Union, Georgia, Ghana, Russia, Romania, United States and other countries. The major focus and expertise of the group are the steel, oil and gas, chemical and energy sectors.Boholyubov also has interests outside of Privat including a stake in Australian manganese miner Consolidated Minerals
Victor Pinchuk
businessman and philanthropist. As of January 2016, Forbes ranked him as 1250th on the list of wealthiest people in the world, with a fortune of $1.44 billion. His father-in-law is former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma, the onetime patron of Victor Yanukovych, the Moscow-backed president who just fled his own country and reportedly spirited off billions of dollars.
Pinchuk is friends with former US President Bill Clinton, whose 60th birthday Pinchuk attended in New York
Ihor Palytsia is a Ukrainian businessmen, independent politician. From May 2014 till May 2015 he worked as Governor of Odessa Oblast. Palytsia was replaced by eplaced by former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili. Ally of Kolomoyskyi
Aron Mayberg
Ukraine International Airlines main shareholder and Israeli citizen . Ukraine International Airlines operated a joint ground handling operation with Swissport Ukraine. He is the founder of AeroSvit which was acquired by Kolomoisky. Ukraine International more or less stole Swissport Ukraine. (source)
Firtash is co-owner of RosUkrEnergo and controls much of Ukraine’s titanium business. He gained control of previously state-owned titanium assets across Ukraine in 2004. He also owns several chemical plants. Has a good relationship with former president Viktor Yanukovych. According to media reports, in 2010, Mr. Firtash was involved in financing of Viktor Yanukovych’s presidential campaign. According Reuters he became rich by buying Russian gas and selling it for a much higher price.
Hennadiy Korban, the former deputy governor of Dnipropetrovsk oblast.
Seen as enemy to Poroshenko. Hennadiy Korban was deputy governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from 2 March 2014 till 24 March 2015. He was appointed and resigned the same dates as former Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Ihor Kolomoyskyi.
Korban took part in the 26 July 2015 parliamentary by-election in constituency 205 located in Chernihiv for the party UKROP. He lost these elections to Serhiy Berezenko of Petro Poroshenko Bloc (who won with 35.90% of the vote). Korban took second place with 14.76%.During the run-up to these elections Korban and Berezenko were repeatedly accused of bribing voters, the use of black PR and other violations (of the electoral legislation). Prosecutor General’s Office accuses him of stealing large sums of money from the Foundation for Army Support, kidnapping people and threatening his opponents
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov
Threw a glass of water during a meeting with Saakashvili. Avakov told media at February 14 2016 I could destroy foreign support for Kiev with media bombshell
minister of Finance Oleksandr Danylyuk
Only minister for a few days when a journalist found out he had offshore companies in Cyprus. ()
Former Minister of Finance Natalie Jaresko
An American-born Ukrainian investment banker who has served as Ukraine’s Minister of Finance since 2014. Said to be a candidate to replace prime minister Yatsenyuk. Some info by Forbes.
Sputnik has a story on Jareako.
Agricultural Minister Oleksiy Pavlenko
seen as a reformer, someone who wants to end corruption. The United States is happy with his performance.
Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pivovarsky
seen as a reformer, someone who wants to end corruption. The United States is happy with his performance
Foreign Affairs Minister Klimkin
postition not clear for me
Finance minister Natalie Jaresko
An American-born Ukrainian investment banker who has served as Ukraine’s Minister of Finance since 2014.
Seen by some as the new prime minister. She is a reformer. Was before she was minister involved with USAID program worth 150 million US Dollar namely the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF)
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili current Governor of Ukraine’s Odessa Oblast region. He is the former president of Georgia. In his role as president of Goergia he was supported by the United States.
The president, Petro Poroshenko, appointed Saakashvili to run Odessa in May. Some saw it as a masterstroke, believing an outsider might have success at breaking the corruption which has strangled the port city, while others said appointing the controversial politician was a recipe for disaster. Saakashvili is against the influence of oligarchs.
Anti corruption fighters
Daria Kaleniuk, the executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center
Serhii Leshchenko
Member of Parliament for party Petro Poroshenko Bloc. Seen as reformer
Mustafa Nayyem
Member of Parliament for the party Petro Poroshenko Bloc.Also former journalist and seen as a reformer.
Other members of parliament seen as reformers:
Hanna Hopko, Svitlana Zalishchuk, Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska, Alex Ryabchyn, Victoria Voytsitska, Oksana Syroid, Olga Bielkova, Lena Sotnyk
Prosecutor
At February 16 2015 General Prosecutor Victor Shokin stated he would quit. Shokin submitted his resignation after the country’ President Petro Poroshenko publicly asked him to step down.He seems to have gone on holiday as is a common Ukrainian habit. (Ukraine’s outdated labor laws prevent public officials on sick leave from being fired.)
In November 2015 there was an assassination attempt when someone shot at him.Shokin is said to be an ally of Poroshenko. Shokin is criticized for not fighting corruption.
In March the prosector office stated it wanted to investigate the Anti Corruption Bureau.
At February 15 2015 Vitaly Kasko, a deputy general prosecutor resigned, saying he was fed up with endemic corruption in the country’s judiciary. Kasko accused Viktor Shoikon, the Poroshenko-appointed general prosecutor, of derailing anti-graft cases and sidelining investigations into the 2014 shootings on Kiev’s Independence Square.
Candidates for the role as Prosecutor General are Stolyarchuk or (Yury) Sevruk. Both are seen as Shokin’s “tentacles,” and replacing Shokin with either of them “would not change anything.”
At March 29 2016 Ukraine’s Deputy Prosecutor General David Sakvarelidze was fired. He was someone who wanted to reform the prosecutor office. Kiev post has the details here.
Hours after reformist PG deputy Sakvarelidze is fired, his deputy Oleksandr Modzhebadze (Alexander Modebadze) is detained in Odessa, accused of ‘taking bribes’
Mikheil Saakashvili reacted the fact that Davit Sakvarelidze was fired
New York Times has a good overview of the situation at the prosecutor office.
Important businessmen
Serhiy Lyovochkin, member of parliament
Sergei Kurchenko acquired UMG group media. Kurchenko’s connections at the state companies and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Kurchenko is linked to powerful people in (former) President Viktor Yanukovych’s home region of Donbass and then to Yanukovych’s family
Dmytro Firtash is co-owner of RosUkrEnergo and controls much of Ukraine’s titanium business
Igor Kononenko, President Poroshenko’s key business partner and a Ukrainian deputy.Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the recently fired head of the Ukrainian intelligence service (SBU) mentioned in a interview that a leading figure of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc channels half a million USD to offshore accounts every week. He meant Kononenko. Kononenko is suspected to block all reforms.
Oleg Gladkovs’kij is a business partner of president Poroshenko. He owns a lot of companies like car dealer Group «Bogdan»
Borys Yevhenovych Lozhkin is the head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine,the Chairman of the Board and President of UMH group, a multimillionaire, and a media manager.
Links
Poroshenko vs Kolomoisky: Ukraine’s Oligarch War Still Raging – Kateryna Kruk
http://kiev1.org/en/biznes-prez.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2014/05/19/why-everything-youve-read-about-ukraine-is-wrong/#78b872d127c5
https://medium.com//new-historic-supermajority-in-ukraines-parliament-expalined-ff7a7eee6328#.8b8h8y7hl
https://www.ftm.nl/artikelen/oekraine-in-het-kruisvuur
http://www.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/brian-bonner-groysman-as-ukraines-prime-minister-would-sink-reform-drive-further-sap-public-support-410526.html
NRC about Groysman http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Q3EX13PBPFgJ:www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2016/03/24/overeenstemming-over-nieuwe-premier-oekraine-1604480+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nl
Interview with Groysman by Dutch newspaper NRC
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:AfZZMj3IuhAJ:www.nrc.nl/next/2016/03/09/goede-staatsvorm-vind-je-niet-1-2-3-1596270+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nl
http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/ook-nieuwe-premier-oekraine-kan-onvrede-niet-stoppen~a4270321/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shared%20content&utm_content=paid&hash=54ecce62b41e43d4ce8784a418d6ba84de170336
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-28/ukraine-collapse-now-immanent
http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1459020068
http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1459020068
http://www.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/under-pressure-shokin-opens-probe-against-anti-corruption-group-410808.html
In connection with MH17 you should know that Kolomoisky also features Airlines :
„Ihor Kolomoisky is an ultimate beneficiary owner of the biggest national airline, Kyiv-based Ukraine International Airlines (UIA)“
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/279298.html
„Swissport Ukraine LLC was victim of a raider attack followed by a flawed legal process led by Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), rumoured to be ultimately owned by oligarch Igor Kolomoisky“
http://www.swissport.com/nc/news-media-center/news-releases/news-detail/article/swissport-appeals-to-the-highest-economic-court-of-ukraine-following-the-ruling-of-the-court-of-appe/
„AeroSvit, controlled by Ukrainian businessman Ihor Kolomoisky, is one of Ukraine’s two biggest carriers along with Ukraine International Airlines UIA.L, its main competitor.“
http://www.reuters.com/article/uk-ukraine-aerosvit-idUSLNE90L02F20130122
Ukrainian Aviation Group [Ukrainian alliance of three airlines owned by Privat Group and led by Ihor Kolomoisky] combining Dniproavia, Aerosvit and Donbassaero”.
http://ukrnews.today/kolomoisky-comments-on-situation-with-uia/
„Mr Kolomoisky collected holdings in oil and gas, aviation, banking, and media. Last year he began financing volunteer battalions to supplement the country’s decrepit army. His bank, PrivatBank, offered rewards of $10,000 for captured separatists and equipped some of its armoured cars for military use.
http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21647355-building-nation-means-putting-plutocrats-their-place-president-v-oligarch
Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (“CME”) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Igor Kolomoisky. Following an injection of $100 million in cash and the contribution of 100% of the TET TV channel into Studio 1+1 Group, Mr. Kolomoisky will become a 49% shareholder in CME’s Ukrainian operations.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/central-european-media-enterprises-welcomes-100-million-investment-by-igor-kolomoisky-in-ukraine-62109107.html
1+1 Media Group comprises eight Ukrainian TV channels, 1+1, 2+2, TET, PLUSPLUS, 1+1 International, UNIAN TV, Ukraine Today and Bigudi. It also controls the online news platforms TSN.ua, UNIAN, Glavred.info, Telekritika and Dusia.
Here you can read which politicans may be behind the massacer in Odessa :
Ihor Kolomoisky, Olexander Turchinov, Arsen Avakov, Andriy Parubiy and Valentin Nalivaychenko.
http://orientalreview.org/2014/05/14/bloodbath-in-odessa-guided-by-interim-rulers-of-ukraine/
There are many sources that see these men as the mastermind of the purges in Eastern Ukraine.
Andriy Parubiy, first deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament (Rada). From 27 Feb 2014 to 7 Aug 2014 was secretary (actually, head) of Ukraine’s Council for National Security and Defense. In Dec 2013-Feb 2014 was the commandant of Maidan. About Parubiy, one can see, for instance, this:
https://ukraineantifascistsolidarity.wordpress.com/2015/10/13/who-is-andriy-parubiy-protest-uk-visit-of-ukrainian-politician-with-far-right-links/
There was an interesting interview a couple of months ago with Ihor Kolomoisky where he talked about his relationship with other top figures in Ukrainian politics and business. Using some very ‘colourful’ language, he didn’t hold back in expressing his contempt for his opponents such as Poroshenko, Firtash, Saakashvili and Tymoshenko.
On the other hand, he said that he has a good relationship with Prime Minister Yatsenyuk and was coordinating moves with Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man.
http://www.politico.eu/article/star-wars-in-ukraine-poroshenko-vs-kolomoisky/
If you haven’t been fed up by Ukraine news by now, there is another Maidan being started atm. There has been one or two smaller Maidan attempts since 2014, which did not go far. This one looks bigger. But it’s probably doomed too as there is no media support (yet?). This time cash would be flowing not from the US embassy but possibly from some oligarchs which the president with his US masters managed to piss off by now, or political underdogs such as Timoshenko. All oligarchs in Ukraine, except Poroshenko, lost after the last “revolution”. A big privatisation round has been recently announced, so it is important to get in power to get your share.
Some videos are here.
for-ua.info/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=39125
As predicted. The new Maidan called the authorities corrupt and Putin’s agents. But the media did not pick it up. In fact there was almost total media blackout. Only one channel (Channel17) broadcast online from Maidan this time. But it was eventually labeled Putin’s agents, and their offices and equipment thrashed. With the help of unmarked groups authorities got rid of remaining protesters on the central square. To finish off Poroshenko called protesters Putin’s agents. Ukraine classics.
Some other people also suggested that Timoshenko was secretly behind the attempt. She would be the one to gain most. She was also the only one who mentioned the new Maidan in Ukraine politics. We will never know.
Eugene, if you mention the so-called 3rd Maidan, you should provide a little more background.
The driving force is a group that calls itself “REVOLUTIONARY Right Forces”.
They consist of a subset along the Right Sector, the OUN and Battalion Aydar and Azov.
Channel 17 reporter Andrei Pavlovski was kidnaped because Russian stations use the material of Channel 17.
The group that wanted to kidnap or intimidate Pavlovski was led by Aleksandr Zolutukhin from Battalion Aydar. It is likely that Aidar is also responsible for the destruction of Channel 17.
All this is covered by government, SBU, the press and even the OSCE.
The suspicion that the government would collaborate with the Russians, based on a published document.
Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council has published a previously top-secret transcript of a closed-door meeting it held on February 28, 2014 :
http://www.rnbo.gov.ua/files/2016/stenogr.pdf
Here an english summary :
http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-crimea-seizure-panicked-meeting/27569836.html
Read it and you understand that Oleksandr Turchynov is the most dangerous person within the coup regime :
“Acting President Turchynov called for the introduction of martial law in Ukraine.“
The corruption that fueled Ukraine’s 2014 revolution won’t go away
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the-corruption-that-fueled-ukraines-2014-revolution-wont-go-away/2016/02/24/1e4ee2e4-d04b-11e5-90d3-34c2c42653ac_story.html
Three examples that SBU may fake evidence
1) The case of Radical Party MP Ihor Mosiichuk (Mosiychuk).
On September 17/2015 the Verkhovna Rada had signed a decree on arrest of Mosiichuk accused of corruption and approved stripping him of parliamentary immunity.
The evidence was a SBU video of Mosiichuk receiving bribes, presented publicy in the Rada by Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin.
Mosiichuk denies the accusations, saying the video was manipulated.
Mosiichuk was arrested and claimed he was tortured to confess guilty.
On November 17/2015 the Superior Administrative Court of Ukraine declared both illegal : the strip of immunity and the arrest. No reasons were given.
Although charges were filled, until now Mosiichuk is not accused. He is still MP.
IS THE VIDEO-EVIDENCE A FAKE ?
Paul Moreira used parts of this video in his film “Ukraine: revolution Masks”.
That’s why Mosiichuk asked the Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrycak and Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin to ban Moreira from entering the country.
So Mosiichuk adressed the same SBU, that he accuse of torture and faking evidence, for support !
(Ihor Mosiichuk is a dangerous criminal, using violence against dissenter. He was freed from jail on February 24/2014 based on Ukraine’s parliament newly-approved decree to release political prisoners. He better should have stay in prison.)
Three examples that SBU may fake evidence
2) The case of Mikheil Saakashvili
The Director of the communications department of the Interior Minister of Ukraine Artem Shevchenko posted a video that shows a meeting between Saakashvili and the Russian businessman and owner of Uralchem Dmitry Mazepin in Odessa.
Both Saakashvili and Mazepin denied the meeting. Saakashvili : “Person named Mazepin has not crossed the Ukrainian border since I’ve been governor. In addition, this person and his company confirmed that they did not hold any meetings with me.”
Saakashvili said that he watched thoroughly this video, as it is an official video spread by official agencies and noticed signs of video editing. It shows a meeting of two persons, one of whom is Mazepin and another one is unknown person whose head was replaced by the head of Saakashvili using video editing.
“Do you understand now what crooks and thimble riggers we speak to ? They chalk up all of you, dear Ukrainians and journalists, as idiots. They fabricated this video and in the same way they fabricate documents, contracts and each day they steel millions and billions from our state,” Saakashvili said. “If all the time they follow me with television cameras, bug all my phones, they could not find more than to edit this wonder video and stick the nonexistent meeting with a Russian businessman on me.”
Source : http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/311713.html
A few days the case struck high waves and then sank into oblivion.
IS THE VIDEO-EVIDENCE A FAKE ?
Three examples that SBU may fake evidence
3) The case of Stanislav Krasnov, former fighter in the Aidar Battalion, former Commander of the volunteer battalion “Crimea”, now leader of Azov-Krym civil corps. He participated in the illegal blockade of the Crimea.
On Februar 28/2016 the SBU detained Krasnov. He is suspected of illegal possession of weapons, collaboration with Russia’s special services, and subversive activity.
The SBU claimed to have evidence that Krasnov had handed over the list of the Azov regiment servicemen to the Russian side.
Later, Krasnov’s lawyer said his client had been tortured during interrogation. Ukraine’s Ombudsman Valeriia Lutkovska confirms the SBU used tortures against him.
Censor.NET Chief Editor Yurii Butusov wrote : “Now the SBU is urgently declassifying the materials of the case to make them public. He must be adequately guarded to exclude his disappearance.” Yurii Butusov believes that Krasnov’s case is too high-profile and the evidence against him is too powerful to consider the option of the house arrest.
But “Azov” activists demonstrated outside the courtroom and Krasnov was released… Ukrainian miracle :
On March 3/2016 the Shevchenkivskyi district court in Kyiv has placed Stanislav Krasnov under house arrest with wearing electronic ankle tracking device as a pre-trial restriction.
And now comes the best :
Krasnov was released, among other reasons, because the commander of the volunteer battalion OUN, Nicholas Kochanowski, vouched for him !
Nicholas Kochanowski on Februar 20/2016 had called to demolish Russian banks in Kiev. And he himself threw stones (documented on videos) !
Sources :
http://uacrisis.org/40708-sbu-2 http://en.censor.net.ua/photo_news/377121/azov_activist_krasnov_released_until_court_hearing_photo
http://en.censor.net.ua/news/377465/krasnov_arrested_while_trying_to_retrieve_30_kilos_of_explosives_from_cache_source
http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/328947.html
And now about the evidence against Krasnov :
Until now Krasnov is only charged under Article 263 (firearms violations).
On March 2/2016 Krasnov stated at a press conference : “Regarding some of my relations with special services of other States all of these facts I immediately informed the Ukrainian intelligence services.” To what special services he reported such facts, Krasnov said, he has no right to talk about it.
Krasnov also said that the investigators have no evidence, and that the video the SBU posted about his alleged conversation with a citizen of the Russian Federation, is 100% fake.
The SBU advisor Yury Tandit said on air of 112 Ukraine channel : “One should ask oneself a question : who stands to gain from discrediting volunteer battalions now ? In fact, a real war has been declared on real patriots, on those who had taken part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation, who defended Ukraine, who are still standing on the contact line arms in hand, and we understand that they are trying to democratize us from within, discrediting volunteer movements, among others, the legendary Azov.” Tandit also expressed confidence that there are many patriots in Azov, “and there is no war of Ukraine’s special services against patriotic guys in this situation.”
ARE THE AUDIO-TAPES A FAKE ?
Is it possible that the government tries to get rid of the Neo-Nazis by using faked evidence ?
Even the Swedish Sniper Mikael Skillt, who had joined the Azov Battalion, is deeply concerned :
Needless to say, that I have no sympathy for the Neo-Nazis.
I want to just draw a picture that explains why we can not believe a single “proof” of Ukraine regarding MH17.
Ukraine won’t amend the Constitution to grant autonomy to the separatist regions
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/world/europe/ukraine-oksana-syroyid.html?_r=1
Ukraine political crisis
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-coalition-fatherland-idUSKCN0WV0LL
Croatia suspects Ukraine of a fraud in aircraft overhaul deal
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region.php?yyyy=2016&mm=03&dd=22&nav_id=97440
Ukraine ousts top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/world/europe/political-stability-in-the-balance-as-ukraine-ousts-top-prosecutor.html?mabReward=A3&moduleDetail=recommendations-0&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion®ion=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&src=recg&pgtype=article
It is a good article by the NYT. Lets wait and see who will be next General prosecutor.
It’s interesting the way Poroshenko reacted to the recently surfaced allegations that he was attempting to channel profits offshore. His response was: “I believe I might be the first top official in Ukraine who treats declaring of assets, paying taxes, conflict of interest issues seriously”.
No, I just want to repeat this again. Poroshenko has been found to attempt to avoid paying taxes. His two other specific violations of the Ukraine law were:
-He did not declare the ownership of foreign companies, which he had to.
-The constitution explicitly prohibits the president from being involved in a business.
And his response is “I don’t deny wrongdoing, but I am simply the most honest of you all”. Is he trolling Ukraine public? I think, in more a developed country that would be the case. But with the generally stupid population of Ukraine his “excuse” works.
This kind of confirms my previous observation that in Ukraine politics they’ve mastered the tool of rhetoric that goes like this “take the truth, invert it, and drill drill drill”.
Details: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-04-04/ukraine-president-poroshenko-responds-money-laundering-allegations
Ukraine’s new prime minister
http://observer.com/2016/04/new-wunderkind-ukrainian-pm-has-some-skeletons-in-his-closet/