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☆ Czechs Accuse Men of ‘Russian Influence Operation’ in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Monika Pronczuk | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Czech Republic has frozen the assets of two men and a news website it accuses of running an influence operation in Europe that supports “the foreign policy interests of the Russian Federation,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry identified the men as Viktor Medvedchuk, a high-profile, pro-Russian Ukrainian politician and the leader of the effort, and Artem Marchevskyi, a Ukrainian-Israeli citizen who allegedly ran the website, the Czech-registered Voice of Europe. Long known as an ally of the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, Mr. Medvedchuk was arrested in Ukraine and handed over to Russia in a prisoner exchange in 2022. “We cracked down on a Russian influence operation that was directed by Viktor Medvedchuk directly from Russia,” Jan Lipavsky, the Czech foreign minister, said in a statement. “The aim was to spread pro-Russian narratives undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty while infiltrating the European Parliament.”While the Czech authorities refused to provide immediate comment on how expansive the effort was or how richly financed, officials promised further revelations.

Persons: Viktor Medvedchuk, Artem Marchevskyi, Long, Vladimir V, Putin, Medvedchuk, ” Jan Lipavsky Organizations: Russian Federation, Foreign, Europe Locations: Czech Republic, Europe, Russian Ukrainian, Ukrainian, Czech, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Ukraine Court Orders Ex-Government Minister Detained on Suspicion of Treason
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - A Ukrainian court on Friday ordered a former government minister detained for 60 days with no option of bail on suspicion of espousing pro-Russian sentiments and committing treason. A video of a Kyiv court ordering Shufrych's detention circulated on numerous Ukrainian news sites. The investigators said Shufrych had been carrying out instructions by Russian and pro-Russian officials to promote pro-Moscow policies inside Ukraine. He held talks with separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and urged Ukraine's authorities to consider making a deal with Moscow over the creation of pro-Russian territories there. Authorities said a search of Shufrych's home on Friday found documents on creating separatist entities in eastern Ukraine as well as Russian medals and other regalia.

Persons: Nestor Shufrych, Shufrych, Viktor Yanukovych, Viktor Medvedchuk, Ron Popeski, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Grant McCool Organizations: Reuters, Public Suspilne Television, Emergency Services, Investigators, Authorities Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Crimea, Russia

☆ Why did Russia invade Ukraine? Experts break down Putin's motivations and excuses for launching his war.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Insider spoke to three experts about why it happened, and the motives behind President Putin's move. AP Photo/Evgeniy MaloletkaPutin blamed the WestTaylor said the invasion of Ukraine reflects Putin's "grievances that have been brewing for a long time." For Putin, "Russia has a right to rule Ukraine. At the start of the invasion, Putin blamed NATO's expansion into eastern Europe for forcing his hand, echoing a criticism he has made for years. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with war correspondents in Moscow, June 13, 2023.

Persons: Putin's, —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Felipe Dana, it's, George W, Bush, Stephen Hall, Hall, Alexander Ermochenko, Brian Taylor, Thomas Graham, Graham, Evgeniy Maloletka Putin, West Taylor, Taylor, Lithuania — Taylor, NATO didn't, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Omar Marques, They've, Russia's, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Stalin, Zelenskyy, Viktor Medvedchuk, Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, GAVRIIL Organizations: Service, AP, University of Bath, Kyiv, REUTERS, Slavic, of, West, Syracuse University, Yale, NATO, NATO doesn't, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Getty, Nazis, Nazism, Putin, SPUTNIK Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Bucha, Kyiv, Russian Ukraine, Soviet Union, USSR, Russian, Moscow, Luhansk, Belarus, Asia, of Russia, East, Avdiivka, Europe, Ryazan, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Zelenskyy, Afghanistan, Germany

☆ Russia spent vast sums paying a network of collaborators before the Ukraine war. Most simply took the money and ran, report says.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia sent masses of cash to pay off officials in Ukraine ahead of the war, the FT reported. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has long said that Medvedchuk was Putin's pick to become his puppet leader in Ukraine. With that supposed wellspring of pro-Russian support in Ukraine, the Kremlin envisioned installing Medvedchuk as leader the moment Kyiv had fallen. But none of it was enough to produce the groundswell that Medvedchuk so confidently depicted to Putin, the FT reported. Medvedchuk was arrested by Ukrainian security services in April last year and handed to Russia in a prisoner swap.

Since the early days of the invasion, Mr. Putin has conceded, privately, that the war has not gone as planned. “I think he is sincerely willing” to compromise with Russia, Mr. Putin said of Mr. Zelensky in 2019. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. “I think this war is Putin’s grave.” Yevgeny Nuzhin, 55, a Russian prisoner of war held by Ukraine, in October.

☆ A $200m superyacht seized from Putin's apparent choice for a Ukrainian puppet leader is being sold at auction, with Ukraine keeping the proceeds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The yacht of pro-Kremlin Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk is being sold by Ukraine. Medvedchuk was said to be Vladimir Putin's top choice for a puppet leader in Ukraine. He was also believed to be Vladimir Putin's top choice for a puppet leader to replace Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the event Russia successfully overthrew the Ukrainian government. While Croatia seized the yacht in March, police only searched it on November 19 after a search warrant from the US justice department was approved, according to the Croatian Jutarnji list. It added that it's also searching for a $540 million yacht, which is owned by an unnamed Russian oligarch.

☆ Russia and Ukraine just completed one of the war's biggest prisoner swaps, with Russia freeing 108 Ukrainian women in exchange for 110 Russians
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian officials said it was the biggest all-female prisoner exchange between both nations. "We managed to return 108 Ukrainian women: officers, sergeants, privates, army, navy, territorial defense, national guards, border guards," he said. Ukrainian women pose for a photo after re-uniting with their relatives as part of all-female prisoner swap with Russia on October 17, 2022 in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed two Ukrainian women marked for the swap voluntarily declined to return to Ukraine before the exchange. Ukrainian women reunite with relatives during all-female prisoner swap deal with Russia since the war began in Ukraine on October 17, 2022.

☆ Billionaire Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich met Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman to help broker a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in late August. Their meeting helped broker a Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap announced Thursday, Bloomberg reported. In a major prisoner swap announced Thursday, Ukraine handed over 55 captives, including pro-Russian tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk. The Saudi, Ukrainian, and Russian governments did not immediately respond to separate requests for comment from Insider on the prisoner swap Friday. The Sun newspaper reported Thursday that Abramovich was on a private jet used to transport the freed foreign prisoners from Russia to Saudi capital Riyadh.

☆ Ukrainian Steel plant defenders, Putin ally exchanged in prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV — Ukraine announced a high-profile prisoner swap early Thursday that culminated months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in Mariupol during a long Russian siege. In exchange, Ukraine gave up an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Volodymr Zelenskky said his government had won freedom from Russian custody for 215 Ukrainian and foreign citizens. Of the total, 200 Ukrainians were exchanged for just one man — pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, who is Ukrainian. According to Zelenskyy, many of those freed belonged to Ukraine’s Azov regiment, whom he called heroes.

☆ Ukraine says it has completed a massive prisoner swap with Russia where key Putin ally Viktor Medvedchuk was sent to Russia and 215 Ukrainians returned home
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine and Russia have completed a monumental prisoner swap, Zelensky's office said. The swap means that 215 Ukrainians who were captured by Russia will go back to their country. As part of the deal, Viktor Medvedchuk, a key Putin ally in Ukraine, has been sent to Russia. Among the 215 Ukrainians released were 100 fighters from the controversial, hard right-wing Azov Battalion, which Russia has previously called "neo-nazis." The bilateral prisoner swap is a massive coup for Ukrainians, who have made considerable gains against Russian invaders in recent weeks.

☆ One of Putin's closest allies sharply criticized Russia's decision to free right-wing Ukrainian Azov troops his forces battled during Mariupol siege
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Putin's military ally said he was blindsided by the Ukrainian-Russian prisoner swap. In the early months of the war, Chechen soldiers conscripted to help Russian soldiers clashed with Ukrainian Azov fighters in Mariupol as Russians briefly occupied the city. Kadyrov said Thursday he was "extremely unhappy," with the swap, calling the Azov fighters "terrorists." Along with 55 Russian fighters, Viktor Medvedchuk, an MP and one of Putin's staunchest Ukrainian allies, was sent to Russia, Reuters reported. The bilateral prisoner swap is a massive coup for Ukrainians, who have made considerable gains against Russian invaders in recent weeks.

The move is unexpected, since Russian-backed separatists last month said there would be a trial of Azov personnel, who Moscow describes as Nazis. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterIn a statement, Yermak said the freed prisoners included Azov commander Lieutenant Colonel Denys Prokopenko and his deputy, Svyatoslav Palamar. Also at liberty is Serhiy Volynsky, the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia said Russia had released 10 foreign prisoners of war captured in Ukraine following mediation by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by David Ljunggren Editing by Alistair Bell and Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Vladimir Putin declară că rușii și ucrainienii „sunt un singur popor"
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-01 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +1 min

Sursa foto: Profimedia ImagesVladimir Putin declară că rușii și ucrainienii „sunt un singur popor"Aflat la cea de-a 18-a conferință anuală cu publicul, președintele rus Vladimir Putin a vorbit despre tensiunile dintre Ucraina și Rusia, subliniind că ucrainenii și rușii sunt un singur popor, conform The Moscow Times, citat de Digi24. „Nu cred că poporul ucrainean este neprietenos. Cred că, în general, ucrainenii și rușii sunt un singur popor", a spus Vladimir Putin, precizând, însă, că „actuala conducere a Ucrainei este în mod clar neprietenoasă cu Rusia”. „Unii oameni sunt trimiși în închisoare, unii sunt puși sub arest la domiciliu, iar alții sunt uciși în stradă", a declarat președintele rus, într-o posibilă referire la deputatul ucrainean Viktor Medvedchuk, apropiat de regimul de la Kremlin, care este în prezent arestat la domiciliu în Ucraina pe baza acuzațiilor de trădare. „Nu aș dori să exclud o întâlnire cu președintele ucrainean Volodimir Zelenski, dar trebuie să ne dăm seama că totuși avem ceva de discutat", a completat Putin răspunsul la întrebarea referitoare la relația dintre Rusia și Ucraina.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Viktor Medvedchuk, Volodimir Zelenski, Putin Organizations: Moscow Locations: Ucraina, Rusia, Ucrainei, Kremlin

☆ Oligarhii din Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina: între retragere, regrupare și „reeducare”. Analiză de Dionis Cenușa
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-18 | by ( ) www.ipn.md time to read: +14 min

Oligarhii din Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina: între retragere, regrupare și „reeducare”. Analiză de Dionis CenușaOp-EdOligarhii continuă să fie actori politici activi în Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina. Oricât de imperfecte ar fi instituțiile democratice din Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina, condițiile existente încă permit turnuri de situații favorabile pentru democratizarea domeniului politic. În loc de concluzii...Oligarhii continuă să fie actori politici activi în Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina. Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principal Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principalDomenii de cercetare: Politica Europeană de Vecinătate, relațiile UE-Moldova, politica externă a UE și Rusia, migrația și securitatea energetică.

Persons: Dionis, ., . Aceștia, Maia Sandu, Președintelui Sandu ., Președintele Sandu, Președintele, Petro, Petro Pororeșenko, Viktor Medvedchuk, Nika Melia, Mikhail Saakashvili, Vlad Filat, Vlad Plahotniuc, Ilan Șhor, Sandu, Renato, Kolomoysky, Zelensky, Liebig Organizations: Uniunii Europene, Parlamentul European, UE, Partidul Mișcarea Națională Unită, BBC, Partidului Socialiștilor, Partidul Comuniștilor, Președintele Zelensky, Securitate, Universitatea Justus Locations: Georgia, Moldova, Ucraina, Petro, Rusiei, Ucraina Georgia Moldova Ucraina, UE, Turcia, Israel, SUA, Rusia, Giessen

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