Days before he was to finalize the sale of television station Inter, Pluzhnikov took ill and died – and some are saying he was poisoned
Igor Pluzhnikov, the influential politician, businessman and owner of Inter, one of Ukraine’s most popular television channels, died June 22 under mysterious circumstances.
The 47-year-old Pluzhnikov, whose death some accounts have ascribed to poisoning, was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united), which was influential under President Leonid Kuchma’s last years in reign. The party is headed by Viktor Medvedchuk, who served as head of the Presidential Administration during Kuchma’s last years. Medvedchuk is a fierce political foe of current President Viktor Yushchenko.
Pluzhnikov fell seriously ill recently and was flown to Germany for treatment. The onset of his mysterious illness raised eyebrows, as insiders alleged that it came as he was close to selling a controlling interest in Inter. Inter is one of Ukraine’s two top television channels. The buyers, according to insiders, were business interests loyal to Ukraine’s new regime.
“Unfortunately, he died, I can confirm that,” SDPU(u) party member and deputy Nestor Shufrych told the Post on June 22.
Shufrych, a high-ranking member of the SDPU(u), declined to discuss the cause of Pluzhnikov’s death or the possible sale of Inter, which media analysts allege has been used as a mouthpiece by the party.
“We lost a close friend. I don’t want to talk about the sale of Inter and other rumors, particularly not today, as he died today,” Shufrych added.
Pluzhnikov’s departure is the most recent of a number of mysterious deaths of individuals who were influential during the Kuchma era. Earlier this week, Ukrainian law enforcement officials pledged to investigate the circumstances and causes of Pluzhnikov’s sickness.
Rumor have spread in recent days that ownership changes are also underway at 1+1, a channel that along with Inter controls about half of Ukraine’s television.
Officials at 1+1 on June 22 denied their ownership structure had changed.
Earlier this year, media watchdog Telekritika cited Deputy Prime Minister Mykola Tomenko as saying that Pluznhikov controlled a 79 percent stake in Inter while Russia’s First Channel controlled 21 percent.
