Ukrainian government imposes severe sanctions on pro-Russian opposition leader

The leader of the pro-Russian opposition Viktor Medvedchouk in Ukraine is very close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

AP - Efrem Lukatsky

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

The Ukrainian state has decided to impose a severe sanction regime against Viktor Medvedchouk, the leader of the pro-Russian opposition in the country, a close friend of Vladimir Putin.

The main Kremlin agent in Ukraine could have all of his economic assets in the country confiscated.

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With our correspondent in Kiev,

Stéphane Siohan

Volodymyr Zelensky and his National Security and Defense Council have decided to politically and economically neutralize Viktor Medvedchouk, the head of the "Opposition Platform - For Life", the main pro-Russian political force in Ukraine.

Three weeks after having

banned the three pro-Kremlin television channels

controlled by this oligarch, the Ukrainian executive accuses Medvedtchouk, his wife, and his associates, of "financing terrorist organizations". 

Indeed, Medvedchouk's main associate, Taras Kozak, is suspected of having illegally resold in Ukraine coal produced in separatist territory, and therefore of having financed the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Russia uses, in its war against Ukraine.

Now 19 companies in the Medvedchuk Empire could be frozen, its assets in Ukraine are in danger of being seized by justice, and symbolically, the Ukrainian state will nationalize a pipeline of more than 1,000 kilometers, which belongs to the businessman, and who sends Russian oil to Europe.

The move comes as the United States is re-entering the game in Ukraine, and toughening its tone against Russia.

It remains to be seen how the latter will react, because Medvedtchouk is much more than an ally of the Kremlin, he is a member of the family of Vladimir Putin. 

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  • Ukraine

  • Volodymyr Zelensky