Zelenskyi announces the withdrawal of Ukrainian citizenship from Medvedchuk, an oligarch friend of Putin who was involved in a prisoner swap
President Zelenskyy has announced that he has revoked the Ukrainian citizenship of wealthy businessman Viktor Medvedchukclose associate of Wladimir Putin, accused by Kyiv of high treason in favor of Russia. “On the basis of documents prepared by the security services and the State Migration Service, and in accordance with the Constitution of our state, I have decided to revoke the citizenship of four people,” including Mr Medvedchuk and three other politicians, he said. Medvedchuk, 68, was handed over to Russia in a prisoner swap between Kyiv and Moscow in late September 2022 after being detained in Ukraine for more than five months. Born in Siberia, Russia, the former MP was considered Vladimir Putin’s man in Ukraine, where he defended his interests for more than 20 years. After the Russian invasion on February 24, he fled and disappeared before being arrested on April 12 by Ukrainian special forces while trying to escape. This multi-millionaire in military uniform, with handcuffs and his hair disheveled, was one of Ukraine’s most influential men. In addition to Medvedchuk, the Zelensky decision affects Taras Kozak, Renat Kuzmin and Andriï Derkatch, all three Ukrainian politicians suspected of having important ties to Russia. “If the people’s deputies decide not to serve the Ukrainian people, but the murderers who came to Ukraine, then our measures will be appropriate,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended himself in his speech on Tuesday evening. In his message, he did not mention the alleged Russian citizenship of the targets.
