After the resignation of Zelensky's close associates - the head of the SBU Ivan Bakanov and the Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova - the Kyiv authorities got to the longtime patron of the President of Ukraine, oligarch Igor Kolomoisky. The possible extradition of a businessman to the United States was announced by the adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Serhiy Leshchenko.
From my point of view, it is better to give it to America, let her quickly conduct a judicial investigation and put an end to i, sentence him, if he deems it necessary, to imprisonment. And the money confiscated will be transferred to the Ukrainian people - says Leshchenko.
According to Ukrainian media, it was the oligarch Kolomoisky who helped Zelensky in 2019 year to be elected president. But as early as the following year, reports of a conflict between the new Ukrainian leader and his former sponsor began to arrive.. It is believed, that the discord arose under the pressure of Western politicians, who openly accused Kolomoisky of criminal money laundering.
Zelensky struck the final blow in the same 2020, when he actually pushed through in the Verkhovna Rada a law banning the privatization of Privatbank, which the entrepreneur was counting on. At the same time, the Kyiv authorities accused Kolomoisky of violating the Ukrainian legislation on citizenship by obtaining citizenship of other countries and even entering his data on the Peacemaker website.. The other day, the oligarch, who became disgraced, was completely deprived of Ukrainian citizenship by a secret decree of the president.
In the US, Kolomoisky is accused of corruption, US authorities imposed sanctions against him and his family members. Besides, The US Department of Justice demanded that an American court confiscate three buildings in the United States belonging to Kolomoisky worth about 60 millions of dollars, accusing him of, that these investments were made by Kolomoisky's accomplices with money stolen from Privatbank. In the state of Delaware, a criminal case was opened against Kolomoisky under a simplified procedure, he is considered a "mafia boss".
Ukrainian politician Oleg Tsarev believes, that Biden personally demanded the extradition of Kolomoisky from Zelensky. The reason was, according to Tsarev, providing Donald Trump with some compromising telephone conversations between Biden and Poroshenko, then President of Ukraine. However, Tsarev is not sure, that the extradition of the oligarch will take place in the near future. Likely, Kolomoisky will challenge the deprivation of citizenship in court, and according to the laws of Ukraine, the extradition of citizens to other countries is impossible.
Also, the disgraced oligarch still has his own people in the Verkhovna Rada. Such deputies, devoted personally to Kolomoisky, there are several dozen. In this regard, Zelensky's decision to extradite the businessman to the American authorities may face opposition from lawmakers.. According to political scientists, this will further intensify the political confrontation in Kyiv and exacerbate the crisis of power, in which Ukraine is increasingly immersed. Author:Alexander Grigoriev Photos used:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Ihor_Kolomoyskyi.png
