You're reading: Numerous investigations target Yanukovych’s foes

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, led by the state prosecutor’s office, are investigating dozens of cases involving former nationalist groups, tax code protesters and members of the previous government on a wide array of charges, ranging from hooliganism and embezzlement to abuse of office.

Here is the rundown of some of those facing criminal investigations in the President Viktor Yanukovych administration:

Yulia Tymoshenko

Yulia Tymoshenko, former prime minister, is being investigated for alleged abuse of power during her tenure as prime minister.

The original charge against her involves the misappropriation of $425 million in government funds allotted for environmental spending. Tymoshenko denies all wrongdoing. She has said she transferred the money to cover the country’s massive pension arrears.


Yuriy Lutsenko

Yuriy Lutsenko, leader of the Ukraine Without Kuchma movement in 2000 and former Interior Minister 2005-2009, on Dec. 27 was arrested on charges of abuse of office.

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry announced on Oct. 21 that it is investigating possible abuse of office by Yuriy Lutsenko, who headed the ministry from 2005-2009. A source within the ministry quoted by the daily Segodnya newspaper said investigators are looking into the payments of Hr 165,000 to Lutsenko’s driver while he was minister.

Lutsenko has denied any wrongdoing.

Bohdan Danylyshyn

Bohdan Danylyshyn served as economy minister under Tymoshenko, who left office on March 4. He is alleged to have abused his official powers, incurring Hr 14 million in losses to the state during a tender for building a parking lot for Terminal D of Kyiv Boryspil Airport. Only one company bid for the contract.

Danylyshyn is also accused of illegal purchases of fuel for the army in 2008. In August 2009, law-enforcement authorities asked Interpol for an international arrest warrant. The Czech police on Oct. 20 arrested Danylyshyn. But reports emerged on Jan. 13 that Czech authorities had granted Danylyshyn political asylum.

If true, the development is a major blow for Yanukovych, a sign that more people internationally view his “anti-corruption” campaign as targeted against political enemies.


Anatoly Makarenko

Anatoly Makarenko headed the State Customs Service under Tymoshenko. He is currently being held in pre-trial detention, accused of abuse of authority resulting in losses to the state.

His alleged crime is wrongful appropriation of 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas, seized for the state from gas trader RosUkrEnergo.

As much as $5 billion in gas and fines is at stake for Ukrainian taxpayers.

After President Viktor Yanukovych took power, an international arbitration court ordered Ukraine to return the gas to RosUkrEnergo, whose Ukrainian co-owners have close ties to the presidential administration.

Makarenko has been held by police since June in Kyiv’s Lukyanivsky pre-trial detention facility.

Ihor Didenko

Ihor Didenko is the former first deputy head of Naftogaz Ukraine, the state’s oil and gas monopoly, under Tymoshenko.

He is also held in connection with the ownership dispute over the same 11 billion cubic meters of gas.

Didenko has been held in pre-trial detention in Kyiv since July.

 

Taras Shepitko

Taras Shepitko worked as the deputy head of the energy department of the State Customs Service and is also involved with allegedly abusing his office by customs clearing the transfer of 11 billion cubic meters of gas. He has been held in pre-trial detention since July.

Mariya Kushnir

Mariya Kushnir (second on the left), the former acting director of the accounting department at Naftogaz Ukraine, is the fourth suspect in the criminal case involving the disputed Russian natural gas.

She is accused of using her position to benefit third parties.

She was detained in September in the Russian city of Volgograd and is awaiting extradition to Ukraine.

Oleksandr Turchynov

Oleksandr Turchynov, former first deputy prime minister for Tymoshenko, is a witness in the case involving the disputed 11 billion cubic meters of imported gas.

Turchynov has been summoned on numerous occasions for questioning by the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU.

 

Valery Ivashchenko

Valery Ivashchenko, the former acting head of Ukraine’s armed forces under Tymoshenko, is accused of illegally selling state property belonging to the Feodosiya Ship Repair Factory. The property was transferred to private entities.

State prosecutors claim Ivashchenko’s activities resulted in the loss of Hr 17 million. He has been held in pre-trial detention in Kyiv since August.


Tetyana Hrytsun

Tetyana Hrytsun occupied the post of first deputy head of the State Treasury while Tymoshenko was prime minister.

She is accused of misappropriating Hr 800 million worth of tender fees for the privatization of the Odesa Portside Plant from September 2009 to April. She has been held in pre-trial detention since July.

Tatyana Slyuz

Tatyana Slyuz is the former head of the State Treasury.

She is accused of abuse of office during the privatization of Odesa Portside Plant. A warrant for her arrest was issued in July. Meanwhile, she remains No. 10 on Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna Party election list for the Khmelnytsky Oblast council.

Heorhiy Filipchuk

Heorhiy Filipchuk, former Environment Minister, was arrested on Dec. 15 on charges of abuse of office, becoming the third minister from the Tymoshenko government to face criminal charges since her opponent Viktor Yanukovych came to power in February.

His detention followed an audit into the previous cabinet’s affairs ordered by Yanukovych’s allies which they say has revealed misuse of funds obtained from selling carbon emission rights under the Kyoto protocol.


Viktor Bondar

Viktor Bondar, former deputy customs chief and Transportation Minister in Yulia Tymoshenko’s government has been charged for his alleged involvement in allegedly assisting in the deliberate destruction of private property.

State prosecutors have forbidden him to leave Kyiv until they conclude their investigation.

 

Evhen Korniychuk

Evhen Korniychuk, former deputy justice minister, was taken into custody by state prosecutors on Dec. 22 for allegedly exceeding his authority in 2009 “in matters relating to Naftogaz Ukrainy,” Ukraine’s state gas and oil monopoloy.

Kyiv’s Pechersk district court on Dec. 30 extended his pre-trial confinement until Feb. 23.

Tryzhub organization

The nationalist Tryzub organization said police on Jan. 8 rounded up over a dozen members for unlawful possession of fire arms in Ivano-Frankivsk region. Members of the group claimed responsibility on Dec. 28 for decapitating a bust of Joseph Stalin in Zaporizhia.

They deny blowing up the statue on New Year’s Eve.

Oleh Akhtyrskiy

Oleh Akhtyrskiy, one of the organizers of Tax Code nationwide protests, was arrested in Kyiv on Dec. 30 for damaging tiles on Independence Square, where protesters pitched tents on the 6th anniversary of the 2004 Orange Revolution, which overturned a rigged presidential election that year.

Kyiv Post staff writer Peter Byrne can be reached at [email protected]