Ukrainian tycoon Victor Amedvedchuk, the closest companion to Russian President Vladimirputin, will speak with Russian President Vladimirputin during a meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia on July 18, 2019. (Mikhail Klimentiev / Sputnik / Kremlin / Pool photo via AP)
Ukraine, Kiev-Ukraine has charged a close ally of the Russian president for treason and prosecuted top opponents trying to steal natural resources from Russia’s attached Crimea.
In addition to the indictment of Victor Medvedchuk on Tuesday, security forces agents also searched his home in the capital Kiev.
Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova said several article-based accusations were filed against Medvedchuk’s business partner Taras Kozak. Prosecution can be sentenced to up to 15 years.
Medvedchuk has been accused of transferring oil and gas production licenses from one of the Crimean fields to Russian authorities. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
“Medvedchuk has launched sabotage against Ukraine, including the economic sector, as the organizer of illegal activities that have a strong relationship with the Supreme Leader of the Russian Federation,” Benedictwa said in a briefing.
Medvedchuk is also responsible for disclosing confidential data regarding the deployment of Ukrainian troops last year.
The 66-year-old woman leads the political council of For Life, the opposition platform of the pro-Russian party. It is the largest opposition group in parliament, occupying 44 of the 450 seats.
He has a personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter.
The new accusation is part of a broader campaign against Medvedchuk launched by authorities in February, when his financial assets were frozen for three years. In February, authorities also closed three pro-Russian TV channels, 112, Zik, and NewsOne, which were controlled by Medvedchuk.
His party called the new accusation against Medvedchuk “open and ironic political retaliation.”