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Russia , disproving his claim that he stopped in 2014 when Russia launched its military aggression in Ukraine, reported on Jan. 17 the Skhemy news program produced by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Zelenskiy is a shareholder in Green Family Ltd., a Cyrpus-based firm that operates three companies in Russia involved in the production of film, video and television programs. These companies earned revenue between 2014 and 2017, according to the company’s filings. The Green Films subsidiary has also gained financing for films from the Russian government.
The Limassol district court has seized movable and immovable property worth $45.7mn belonging to embattled Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash , Kommersant reported on January 16, citing local sources. The court was acting in response to a claim against Firtash brought by Russian state-owned banking powerhouse VTB Bank that concerns Firtash’s Group DF Holdings Limited.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) exposed 564 corruption crimes in 2018.
Twenty-one employees of the tax authorities of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, ten employees of the State Migration Service of Ukraine and ten judges were served with charges linked with alleged commitment of corruption crimes," the press service of the Security Service of Ukraine reports.
International experts vetoed the application of 32 judges from a total of 113 that applied to serve on a new anti-corruption court (ACC) that is a key part of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) backed anticorruption infrastructure, the hromadske.ua news site reported on January 10. The ACC has been a bone of contention for the Ukraine government and President Petro Poroshenko in particular resisted the IMF’s insistence on setting up the court vigorously. However, in the end the IMF suspended its support until the government caved in December. Including international experts to weed out openly corrupt judges was also one of the crucial conditions. Thirty-nine judges will be selected for the anti-corruption court, 12 of which to the appellate chamber. The final candidates will be decided on a joint session of the public council and Higher Qualifications Commission of Judges.
Officers with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested a Ukrainian citizen on January 10 for planning terrorist acts under the direction of Russian intelligence services, the press service of Operation Joint Forces reported that day on Facebook. Between August and January, the suspect was observed acquitting grenades and pistols at a value of $5,250. He gave $600 to an undercover agent to harm a third person. He was arrested during his latest purchase of pistols.
Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, the US-educated rock star widely speculated to be competing for the presidency, has yet to declare his candidacy . Vakarchuk has made several political statements in recent months, indicating his intention to compete. He represents a strong pro-EU, pro-NATO and pro-IMF position.
To reassert Ukraine’s right to free shipping on the Azov, a binational sea, the Poroshenko administration plans to send another Ukrainian Navy flotilla through the Kerch Strait – this time with international observers on board. On November 25, Russian border service ships fired on three Ukrainian Navy boats south of the Strait. Ukraine’s ships were impounded in Crimea and 24 crew members were sent to a Moscow jail where they await trial.
19 UKRAINE Country Report February 2019 www.intellinews.com