Pro-Kremlin lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk was charged with a second count of high treason on Oct. 8. He was also charged with terrorism. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova announced that Medvedchuk, co-leader of the pro-Kremlin 44-member Opposition Platform – For Life faction, is alleged of sabotaging Ukraine’s energy independence.
In 2014, according to the Security Service of Ukraine, known as the SBU, Medvedchuk derailed Ukraine’s attempt to buy coal from South Africa and orchestrated an illegal scheme to supply coal from Russian-occupied Donbas to state-owned enterprises in Ukraine.
Months prior, Russia began its war against Ukraine, occupied Crimea and the coal-rich eastern Donbas.
“We’ll ask for arrest or an Hr 1 billion ($37 million) bail,” said Venediktova during her joint press briefing with SBU chief Ivan Bakanov.
SBU published audio tapes of a man alleged to be Medvedchuk discussing the scheme with Russian top officials and their proxies in the Donbas.
The audiotapes reveal Medvedchuk’s communications with then-Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, President Vladimir Putin’s top aide Vladyslav Surkov and Vladimir Ostrovenko, deputy chief of Putin’s administration.
According to the scheme, Medvedchuk, assisted by former Ukrainian officials, helped Russia revive two closed coal mines under the militants’ control.
The SBU alleges that Medvedchuk and his associate Serhiy Kuzyara opened bank accounts and signed coal shipping contracts with leaders of the Russian-controlled militants.
The coal was later shipped to Russia, rebranded as Russian and shipped to Ukraine’s state-owned Centrenergo energy plant. Kremlin-led militants, fighting against Ukrainian troops, received more than Hr 200 million ($7 million) from Ukraine as a result of this deal.
Medvedchuk’s attempt to force Ukraine to buy coal from occupied Donbas was followed by power shortages and irregular blackouts the prosecution alleges.
If found guilty, Medvedchuk is looking at up to 15 years in prison.
Prior, on Sept. 24, Venediktova charged with treason and terrorism an unnamed person for his involvement in the scheme to ship coal from occupied Donbas to Ukraine through Russia. Ukrainian media have alleged that the unnamed person was Kuzyara.
According to Bakanov, more charges against affiliated persons are to follow.
According to Bakanov, more charges against affiliated persons are to follow. He also said the Security Service is looking into ex-President Petro Poroshenko and ex-National Bank head Valeria Hontareva.
“From what we see, we can’t not look into the possible involvement of Poroshenko and Hontareva,” said Bakanov.
His words come as a response to the June tape scandal.
Tapes released by the Bihus.info investigative journalism project revealed new information on relations between Poroshenko and Medvedchuk. According to the tapes, Medvedchuk acted as an intermediary between Poroshenko and Russian top officials concerning gas deals, peace talks and prisoner exchanges.
Poroshenko and Medvedchuk denied wrongdoing.
Medvedchuk is currently under house arrest based on a separate case in which has was charged.
On May 11, Venediktova signed charges against Medvedchuk and his ally Taras Kozak, another lawmaker with the Opposition Platform. The prosecution alleges high treason.
Medvedchuk and Kozak were suspected of colluding with the Russian government to extract natural resources in occupied Crimea.
According to Venediktova, after Russia annexed Crimea, Medvedchuk re-registered his Kyiv-based company according to Russian laws to continue extracting gas in the peninsula. She demonstrated audio tapes that allegedly show Medvedchuk discussing the details of it with Kozak.
Kozak allegedly told Medvedchuk that the company needs to be re-registered to a Russian citizen, and Medvedchuk agrees to do it.
The oil and gas field that Medvedchuk’s company allegedly worked in is estimated to be worth Hr 38 billion, according to Venediktova. It is known as the “Hlyboke” oil and gas field and is located in the eastern part of Crimea.
Medvedchuk allegedly shared geological information that helped Russia begin extracting resources in Crimea.
He denied wrongdoing.
