Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko has accepted the proposal by a representative from the administration of President Petro Poroshenko to receive Ukrainian citizenship.
“There was some talk about helping with obtaining citizenship. I did not refuse [from it], to be honest,” Babchenko told a press conference in Kyiv on May 31, when asked what he talked about at a meeting with the administration official.
Babchenko has a Ukrainian residence permit and his family also has applied for permanent residence, the journalist said.
“After this special operation, when the president of this country invites, offers to come over … it would be impolite to refuse. This country gave me a place to live, this country granted me asylum, this country led a special operation to save my life. I am grateful for that. The president of this country is an embodiment of this country,” Babchenko said.
Asked whether he thought that politicians, including Poroshenko, were using this situation to score points for the future presidential campaign, Babchenko said: “Politicians would use any situation… Naturally, everyone would use any high-profile case for self-promotion.”
It was reported that on the evening of May 29 social media and media outlets, and later Ukrainian officials, said that Russian journalist Babchenko, who had worked for the ATR television channel in Kyiv since 2017, was shot dead outside his flat in the Ukrainian capital.
SBU chief Vasyl Hrytsak said at a briefing on May 30 that the report of Babchenko’s murder was part of a special security operation aimed at preventing the journalist’s assassination. After that Babchenko himself emerged before the press and unveiled details of the operation.
