Kyiv returning assets stolen by Yanukovych
KYIV – Ukraine on April 28 started returning an estimated $1.5 billion in assets allegedly stolen from the Kyiv government by ousted former President Viktor Yanukovych and his associates. “This money was stolen from the Ukrainian people,” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in an address. “It was pulled out of the pocket of every Ukrainian.” The National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) said the state savings bank Oschadbank had begun confiscating the Russia-backed president’s holdings in line with an earlier court ruling. NSDC chief Oleksandr Turchynov said the $1.5 billion would be returned to the state budget. Mr. Poroshenko’s press service put the exact amount at 40 billion hrv – a figure that was worth about $5 billion (U.S.) when Mr. Yanukovych was still in power. The assets belonging to Mr. Yanukovych and his cronies had been frozen in Ukraine since their government was forced out in February 2014 by street protests and they fled to exile in Russia. The exact amount the old guard may have pocketed remains unknown. Ukraine’s acting chief prosecutor in April 2014 accused Mr. Yanukovych’s inner circle of heading a criminal gang that had cost Ukraine up to $100 billion. Switzerland also froze assets linked to Mr. Yanukovych and 19 members of his entourage less than a week after his four-year tenure in office ended and Mr. Poroshenko’s pro-Western government took over. In Ukraine, Mr. Yanukovych led a lavish lifestyle, building himself an opulent palace outside Kyiv that included a petting zoo and a collection of classic cars worth millions of dollars. A golden replica of a loaf of bread that Mr. Yanukovych displayed to his guests became a symbol of his government’s excesses. Mr. Yanukovych’s lawyer Vitali Serdyuk denied that his client had anything to do with the $1.5 billion being confiscated, maintaining that the amount of money that remains in Mr. Yanukovych’s personal bank account is much smaller. (RFE/RL, with reporting by AFP and Interfax)
Kyiv: Yatsenyuk warrant ‘politically motivated’
KYIV – Ukraine charged on April 28 that Russia’s effort to have international authorities arrest and extradite former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is “politically motivated.” A Russian court issued an international arrest warrant and extradition request for Mr. Yatsenyuk in February, claiming he killed Russian soldiers in Chechnya in the 1990s – an allegation that Mr. Yatsenyuk has called “total absurdity.” Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov, who said Interpol sent him a copy of the Russian request, said Mr. Yatsenyuk has never been to Chechnya. “Yatsenyuk’s persecution by Russia is politically motivated,” Mr. Avakov said. Russia was criticized in a Council of Europe report this week for using the Interpol international policing system for political purposes rather than to pursue criminals. Ukrainian Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko said he believes Interpol will dismiss Russia’s request for Mr. Yatsenyuk. Mr. Yatsenyuk was a leading figure in the massive protests that drove Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych, who was friendly to Russia, out of office in 2014. Mr. Yatsenyuk became prime minister and held that office until April 2016. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by AP, Interfax and TASS)
McMaster: Putin acts against people’s interest
WASHINGTON – The U.S. national security adviser, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, says Russian President Vladimir Putin is “acting against the Russian people’s interest” in his relationship with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his policies to aid the Taliban in Afghanistan. Gen. McMaster, speaking on April 30 on the Fox News Sunday television program, also said the United States needed to see a “change in behavior” by the Russian president before relations could improve. Gen. McMaster’s comments about Mr. Putin are closely watched for signs of President Donald Trump’s posture toward Russia. During the U.S. presidential campaign and in his early days in office, Mr. Trump highly praised Mr. Putin, calling him a strong leader. But relations have frayed, with Washington and Moscow clashing over policies regarding Syria, Iran, Ukraine, Afghanistan and elsewhere. When asked how relations have progressed with Russia since Mr. Trump’s January 20 inauguration, Gen. McMaster said, “Well, I don’t think they’ve gotten really either better or worse.” He added, “The Russian behavior as we’ve seen, you know – the annexation of Crimea, the invasion of Ukraine, the support for this murderous regime in Syria, and now arming the Taliban – these are all things that’s clearly cut against Russian interest, especially in connection with the relationship with Assad in Syria and to arm the Taliban.” He said the groups Moscow supports in one region can hurt Russia in others. “The Taliban groups are not monolithic or homogenous. They overlap with others,” he said. “In the Taliban’s case, they overlap with groups like the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and then other terrorist groups that posed a great threat to Russia.” Gen. McMaster added, “So, here you have a Russian president acting against the Russian people’s interest and doing it I think kind of just reflexively.” He said that for relations with Russia to improve, “what we really need to see is a change in behavior.” (RFE/RL, with reporting by Fox News)
Atlantic Council on Surkov e-mail leaks
WASHINGTON – An article by Aric Toler and Melinda Haring posted on the Atlantic Council website on April 24 reported, “Hacked e-mails show that the Kremlin directs and funds the ostensibly independent republics in eastern Ukraine and runs military operations there.” The Atlantic Council went on to note: “In late 2016, Ukrainian hacker groups released e-mails purportedly taken from the office of Kremlin official Vladislav Surkov, who oversees Ukraine policy for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Surkov leaks confirm what many have long suspected: the Kremlin has orchestrated and funded the supposedly independent governments in the Donbas, and seeks to disrupt internal Ukrainian politics, making the task of rebuilding modern Ukraine impossible. Russia has consistently denied accusations from Kyiv and the West that it is providing the separatists with troops, weapons and other material support or meddling in Ukrainian affairs. The e-mails from Mr. Surkov’s office betray the official Kremlin line, revealing the extent of Russian involvement in the seizure of Ukrainian territory, the creation of puppet ‘people’s republics,’ and the funding to ensure their survival. … In his own words, the Surkov leaks show that the Kremlin directs and funds the ostensibly independent republics in eastern Ukraine and runs military operations there.” The writers also pointed out: “Yet nearly all media in the West speak about the war in the Donbas as being run by Kremlin-backed separatists, but this isn’t a true characterization. Moscow is actively guiding and managing this breakaway state, down to paying invoices for office equipment. The leaks provide clear, irrefutable evidence that the Donetsk People’s Republic is not an independent actor; it is a creature of the Kremlin and should be treated as such. It’s time for the media and foreign governments to catch up and call it what it is: a Russian hybrid war. The full article is available at http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/russia-funds-and-manages-conflict-in-ukraine-leaks-show. (Atlantic Council)
Poland arrests war crimes suspect
WARSAW – Polish authorities say they have arrested an Austrian man suspected of committing war crimes in eastern Ukraine, though there were conflicting reports about whether he fought with Kyiv’s forces or alongside Russia-backed “separatists.” The Polish border service said in an April 30 statement that the 25-year-old man was arrested at Austria’s request two days earlier as he was trying to cross into Ukraine at the Polish border post of Dorohusk. The man is suspected of participating in the fighting in eastern Ukraine, where he allegedly “killed the wounded and prisoners,” the statement said. Both the killing and the torture of prisoners of war constitute war crimes under the Geneva Conventions. The war between Kyiv’s forces and Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 9,900 people since April 2014. There were contradictory reports about which side the Austrian man fought for. Polish border police spokesman Dariusz Sienicki was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that “he was a member of a separatist group.” But Erich Habitzl, a spokesman for Austrian prosecutors, said on April 30 that the man had fought on the Ukrainian side, including in the brutal, protracted battle for Donetsk airport. A United Nations report last year found evidence of arbitrary killings by Russia-backed forces, Ukrainian troops, police forces and volunteer battalions of fighters. The report cited executions of prisoners by both sides and the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas using imprecise weapon systems. Austria is seeking the suspect’s extradition, Polish border police said. (RFE/RL, with reporting by AFP, DPA and Reuters)
U.S. notes Poland’s Constitution Day
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on May 2 issued a statement on Poland’s Constitution Day. He stated: “On behalf of the United States of America, congratulations to the people of Poland on the 226th anniversary of your historic Constitution. The United States and Poland are close friends, and our partnership continues to strengthen. We share democratic values, strong cultural and historical ties, and a security relationship based on mutual commitments. The United States is particularly proud to have U.S. troops deployed in Poland, working alongside their Polish counterparts to protect Poland, the United States, and all of our NATO allies. As we work together to ensure our security and combat terrorism and other threats, we reaffirm our shared commitment to uphold democratic values and the rule of law, setting a standard in defense of freedom for others to emulate.” The secretary of state also noted: “The U.S.-Poland friendship is also grounded in an economic relationship that makes both countries stronger. More than half of the top 100 U.S. companies are invested in Poland, and Poland is the leading trade partner of the United States in Central Europe. In the coming years, we hope to expand opportunities for economic growth between our two countries. The United States looks forward to a future of continued cooperation and friendship with Poland.” (U.S. Department of State)
Groysman on police raid of major bank
KYIV – The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) raided the Kyiv offices of the country’s largest investment bank looking for illegal software on April 26, drawing a dismayed reaction from Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. The SBU announced it had discovered eight companies using what it said was illegal, Russian-made software that can be used for hacking into private computers and phones, prompting the raid on Dragon Capital and seven other companies it did not name. Bank spokeswoman Olha Beloblovska said Dragon Capital, which is affiliated with the Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs, has always operated within the law. “They have a court order to remove computer equipment. They say it’s about the illegal use of software. But the firm bought this program legally and officially. They want to take all the computers and paralyze our work,” she said on Facebook. Dragon Capital’s website says it handles the largest share of trades on the Ukrainian stock market, carrying out about a third of all transactions. It said it has raised more than $5 billion in new capital for the crisis-battered country. News of the raid prompted Prime Minister Groysman to interrupt a Cabinet meeting and express his surprise, warning that such raids could hurt business and investor confidence in Ukraine. “This doesn’t help to build the investment climate,” he said. “I don’t have the right to meddle in the work of the SBU, but I think that everything should be done properly, without paralyzing [Dragon Capital’s] work.” Ukraine has a reputation for endemic corruption, and businesses often complain of harassment from law-enforcement bodies. The SBU defended what it said were court-approved raids on Dragon Capital and other firms it said are using the prohibited Russian software. “Russian special services are interested in getting access to information on critical infrastructure and also on businesses that have great defensive value,” it said. “Information gained clandestinely is used to damage the sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability, defense capability, and the state, economic, and information security of Ukraine.” Gas producer Ukrhazvydobu-vannya said the SBU had also raided its office and removed computer equipment. “These actions could destabilize” the company, it said, adding that all company software had been purchased legally. (RFE/RL, with reporting by AFP and Reuters)
Semena trial adjourned yet again
KYIV – The trial of RFE/RL contributor Mykola Semena, a Crimean journalist who is fighting what he says is a politically motivated separatism charge on the Russian-controlled peninsula, has again been adjourned. Mr. Semena’s trial has been adjourned three times due to various reasons since it started on March 20. The trial resumed on May 3, but the judge adjourned it for one week after two witnesses for the prosecution did not show up in the courtroom. The judge ruled that the witnesses must be forcibly brought to the courtroom if need be. Mr. Semena faces up to five years in prison if convicted by Russia, which has jailed several Crimeans who have opposed or criticized Moscow’s 2014 seizure of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine. The charge against 66-year-old journalist stems from an article he wrote for RFE/RL’s Krym.Realii (Crimea Realities) website in 2015. The Kremlin-installed authorities in Crimea have charged that the article called for the violation of Russia’s territorial integrity. Mr. Semena insists he is innocent, saying Crimea’s status was and remains in dispute – and that he has the right to openly express his opinions. The United States, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and international media watchdogs have expressed concern about the prosecution of Mr. Semena. Activists say his trial is part of a persistent Russian clampdown on independent media and dissent in Crimea since Moscow’s takeover. RFE/RL President Thomas Kent has described the case against Mr. Semena as “part of a concerted effort by Russian and Russian-backed authorities to obstruct RFE/RL’s journalistic mission to provide an independent press to residents of Crimea.” (RFE/RL)
Ukraine’s representatives at Chornobyl event
WASHINGTON – Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Valeriy Chaly took part in a commemorative event dedicated to the 31st anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster organized by U.S.-Ukraine Foundation in Washington on April 26. The roundtable was held to discuss priorities in providing humanitarian assistance for Ukraine. Delegations of parliamentarians from Ukraine and Lithuania joined the event. The Ukrainian Parliament was represented by Hanna Hopko, chair of the Verkhovna Rada’s Foreign Affairs Committee; Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska, chair of the Subcommittee on Sustainable Development, Strategy and Investment of the Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Security; and Yevhen Rybchynskyi, deputy chair of the Committee on Veterans, Combatants, AntiTerrorist Operation Participants and Disabled People. Ambassador Chaly emphasized that the profound cause of the Chornobyl accident was the Soviet system that operated on the basis of mercilessness toward human beings. The current system of government in Russia, in the ambassador’s words, is a return to Soviet times and puts into practice the mercilessness toward humans that is being so clearly demonstrated in the continued Russian aggression against Ukraine. Ms. Hopko drew attention to the fact that 3.5 million Ukrainians are in need for humanitarian aid as a result of the Russian aggression. She stressed that there no signs of that aggression’s cessation; on the contrary, Russia’s concentrated forces on the territory of Belarus point to the probability of a new attack against Ukraine. Ms. Katser-Buchkovska spoke about Ukraine’s efforts aimed at diversifying energy sources, protecting critical infrastructure from Russian cyberwarfare and reform of the energy sector as a whole. (Embassy of Ukraine in the United States)