Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday introduced that they had captured a outstanding pro-Kremlin tycoon who escaped from home arrest after Russia’s invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted an image on-line of a dishevelled-looking Viktor Medvedchuk together with his arms in cuffs and wearing a Ukrainian military uniform.
“A particular operation was carried out by the Safety Service of Ukraine. Properly carried out!” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
Safety company chief Ivan Bakanov stated brokers had carried out a “lightning-fast and harmful multi-level particular operation to detain” the Russia-friendly lawmaker.
“No traitor will escape punishment and all might be held accountable below the regulation of Ukraine,” a press release on Telegram stated.
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Medvedchuk, one of many richest individuals in Ukraine, is a vastly controversial determine for his shut ties to Moscow.
The 67-year-old enterprise tycoon counts Russian President Vladimir Putin amongst his private mates and says the Kremlin chief is godfather to his youngest daughter Darya.
He was being held below home arrest since final 12 months on treason prices over accusations of making an attempt to steal pure assets from Russia-annexed Crimea and of handing Ukrainian army secrets and techniques to Moscow.
Medvedchuk reportedly fled shortly after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Police stated they didn’t discover him at his residence handle on February 26, and introduced that he was lacking a day later.
Kyiv’s crackdown on Medvedchuk had sparked anger within the Kremlin, with Putin vowing at one stage to “reply” to what he known as a political persecution.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to touch upon Medvedchuk’s detention, telling Russian information wires that “there are a whole lot of fakes coming from Ukraine” and “this must be checked first”.
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