On Tuesday’s joint press briefing, Ukraine’s chief prosector Iryna Venediktova and the SBU chief Ivan Bakanov announced that their investigation was bringing forth official charges against two Ukrainian MPs – Viktor Medvedchuk and Taras Kozak. The same day Ukrainian policed raided the offices of the both politicians.
The official investigation seeks detention of the MP on suspicion of treason and attempted plundering of national resources in Crimea.
‘Presently, the suspicion is put forth in [relation to] three cases, said Venediktova.
Case 1 investigated the MPs involment in plundering the natural resources in Russia-annexed Crimea.
The investigation claims that Medvedchuk transferred control over Crimean ‘Gluboka’ gas field to the Russian occupation administration.
‘In 2015 our suspects passed over to the occupants all the physical infrastructure along with company’s documents. [..] let me explain. There is this ‘Novi proekty’ Ltd from the orbit of these persons that was registered in Ukraine with the registration expiring in 2020. In 2012 Medvedchuk was granted a special license to prospect ‘Glyboka’ site,’ said Venediktova.
The investigation found that Medvedchuk collaborated with the Russian government and its top government official Kozak to the Russian administration appropriate the Ukraine-owned gas field to in Crimea, which saw Ukraine losing the asset estimated at 38 billion hryvnas, and that could be regarded as ‘subversive activities’ against Ukraine.
The official investigation cited taped phone calls of Medvedchuk and Russia’s Deputy prime minister Kozak as corroborative proof of the unlawful actions of the Ukrainian MP.
Iryna Venediktova also stated that Medvedchuk had asked the Russia’s president to intervene in the dispute over the gas field bounds when they were found to encroach on the nearby Russian military training facility.
‘If it were not for Medvedchuk and his accomplices’ involvement, [..], prospecting and developing a gas field would have taken years and commanded substantial material resources,” said the chief prosecutor.
Case 2 investigated Medvedchuk and Kozak’s disclosure of the Ukrainian military classified information to Russia.
‘This episode happened in August 2020 when Mr.Medvedchuk sent to Kozak, who was, at the time, in Russia ( and, allegedly is still there), the classified information revealing the location of the secret Ukrainian military unit, its personnel and combat preparations. Some present for the Russian Federation,’ said Ivan Bakanov.
The investigation claimed that the information was set to fall into the hands the Russian government.
“Isn’t it called damage to the defense capabilities of our state?’ stressed the SBU head.
Case 3 unveils the involvement of these politicians in Russia’s recruiting Ukrainian citizens.
Medvedchuk and Kozak founded the organization ‘Promin’ that granted support to Ukrainians working or studying in Russia.
According to the SBU investigation, the organization was set up to collect personal data of Ukrainians and recruit them for propaganda campaigns against Ukraine.
‘The investigation finds it unquestionably an anti-Ukrainian activity,’ added Bakanov.
The Ukraine’s chief prosecutor also revealed that other criminal investigations on Mevedchuk and Kozak activities were still ongoing and were set to be made public later.