Ukraine expenses Putin ally Medvedchuk with treason – KIRO 7 Information Seattle

Kiev, Ukraine – (AP) – Ukraine has indicted a high-ranking opposition person who is a close ally of the Russian president’s treason in attempting to steal natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea.

Along with the indictment against Viktor Medvedchuk on Tuesday, security officials also searched his home in the capital, Kiev.

Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova said that Medvedchuk business partner Taras Kozak had been charged under several articles. The prosecution carries possible sentences of up to 15 years.

Medvedchuk is accused of having transferred licenses for oil and gas production from one of the fields in Crimea to the Russian authorities. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

“Medvedchuk, as an organizer of illegal activities with close ties to the top leadership of the Russian Federation, began subversive activities against Ukraine, including in the economic sphere,” Venediktova said at a briefing in Kiev.

Medvedchuk is also accused of disclosing classified data on the use of Ukrainian military units in the past year.

The 66-year-old heads the political council of the pro-Russian opposition party opposition platform – For Life. With 44 of the 450 seats, it is the largest opposition group in parliament.

He has close personal relationships with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Medvedchuk’s godfather.

The new charges are part of a broader campaign against Medvedchuk launched by authorities in February when his financial fortune was frozen for three years. In February, authorities also shut down three pro-Russian television channels, 112, Zik and NewsOne, that Medvedchuk controlled.

His party called the new charges against Medvedchuk “an open and cynical political reprisal”.