Ukrainian businessman Ihor Kolomoisky has said ex-Deputy Presidential Administration Head Andriy Portnov is helping him with legal issues, the Kyiv-based Ukrayinska Pravda ezine has said.
“He helps me with matters. He has gained experience in this matter when he fought off charges that he stole Hr 800 when he fought against international sanctions. He has gained lots of experience. I think today he is a specialist number one on how to fight unreasonable and invented charges. You understand that he was accused of having stolen his Hr 800 salary,” Kolomoisky said in an interview with the ezine’s Clear Interview program.
Kolomoisky did not say what particular case Portnov is helping with, noting only that Portnov has been “legally helping for 20 years,” including when Kolomoisky lived abroad.
Kolomoisky said met several times with Portnov in Austria and in Israel.
“I flew from Geneva to Vienna, I had several meetings there. In addition, we met, discussed important issues, so I flew to Israel, and then he flew to Israel several times to me,” Kolomoisky said.
Kolomoisky said he supports Portnov and his submission of complaints against ex-President Petro Poroshenko and his entourage to Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations, National anti-Corruption Bureau and Prosecutor General’s Office.
“I don’t condemn him for that, for sure. Morally I’m on his side, I’m very supportive. And in some matters, I’m just supporting. Because there were several situations in which Poroshenko could have calmly stepped down and stopped persecuting him. But he continued to pursue him. Poroshenko personally did so,” Kolomoisky said.
