The rise to power of the former Party of Regions presidential party lists could ultimately come as a blow to Petro Poroshenko himself.
It's common knowledge that both former "Yanukovychs" and former "Chernivtsi" members have appeared on the unfiltered lists under the presidential party's name. This could spell the worst for the president: people who thrive under any government could eventually turn their backs on the party leader. At worst, they could undermine the president; at best, they could quietly "rebrand" themselves as new "Regionals."
One of the young politicians from the older generation who won a seat on Petro Poroshenko's Solidarity party list is Vyacheslav Sobolev, a member of the Kyiv Regional Council and a member of the Budget and Finance Committee. Rumors circulate behind the scenes in parliament that Sobolev may be nominated following today's closed-door congress of the BPP faction, which will determine the party representatives for the upcoming parliamentary by-elections.
Vyacheslav Sobolev has a low public profile, making it difficult for voters to judge him based on his past decisions or actions. Sobolev doesn't have an official website, but his Facebook page as a politician is filled with holiday greetings. His press service regularly posts photos of him visiting kindergartens, schools, and even maternity hospitals, sporting events involving schoolchildren, celebrations of Children's Day, and so on. Regional television channels air similar stories featuring him. In other words, he's doing his best to promote himself. When the posts touch on politics, they tend not to focus on completed projects, but rather on promises: "I will do everything possible to ensure schools and kindergartens are opened and modernized," "As a member of the Kyiv Regional Council, I will use all my powers to prevent situations like this (illegal logging and conversion of forests to development land – Ed.)," "On my initiative, there are plans to launch a 'social pharmacies' project, where prices will be at the manufacturer's level."
However, a politician should be judged by his actions, because promises, especially pre-election ones, remain just promises.
Who really is this person who, for now, can only theoretically get into parliament?
The Path from the Party of Regions to the BPP
At the time of his election as a deputy of the Kyiv Regional Council, according to the Central Election Commission website, Vyacheslav Sobolev was non-partisan, temporarily unemployed, and resided in Donetsk.
He won the October 25, 2015, election despite a scandal that erupted just before the election. He was then accused of sponsoring terrorism, with allegations that his Obzhora supermarket chain was operating in the occupied Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and paying taxes to militants. Things are certainly not so "clean" with these stores in the occupied regions. When the "Russian World" took over Donetsk, DPR flags were hung at supermarket entrances, and leaflets promoting separatism were distributed at checkout. While Solidarity responded to the scandal by promising to purge the party's ranks and threatening Sobolev himself withdrew from the election if the accusations were confirmed, the allegations were denied. Sobolev himself stated that he has no connection to the supermarket: "Yes, I was one of the founders of this company in 2007, and I resigned as an owner that same year."
Donetsk journalist Denis Kazansky commented on Sobolev: "Vyacheslav Sobolev, a prominent Donetsk figure, a friend of Yanukovych, the son-in-law of a Russian oligarch, and a sponsor of the DPR, is running for the Kyiv Regional Council from the Solidarity party. This is a case where things are so bad it leaves you speechless. The only thing worse would be if Solidarity nominated Yanukovych himself."
And while the connection to the "Obzhora" network was disproved, there was no explanation or apology to voters for the political makeover—no lustration, no accountability. Sobolev responded to the scandal with this Facebook post.
Yanukovych's trail
Vyacheslav Sobolev became actively involved in politics in 2002. He was elected to the Donetsk City Council for Electoral District No. 64 (Petrovsky District). He was nominated by the district branch of the Union "For Unity, Harmony, and Revival." The creation of this political association is attributed to Leonid Kuchma, and it was led by Viktor Yanukovych. Clearly, at that time, the young businessman was a supporter of the Party of Regions and his fellow countryman. Like Yanukovych, Sobolev is a native of Yenakiyeve.
In the Donetsk City Council, Sobolev oversaw the development of entrepreneurship and trade, heading the relevant committee. These sectors are known to be among the most corrupt. Having gained control over them, the young politician successfully developed his entrepreneurial activities: the Obzhora chain of stores expanded, and smaller businesses flourished. However, to be fair, it should be noted that in a number of publications, Sobolev is identified only as the nominal owner of Obzhora and other businesses attributed to him. The real owner was allegedly Nurulislam Arkallaev, a former member of parliament from the Party of Regions and a criminal "authority" nicknamed "Nurik."
His closeness to the "Family" is also evident in the fact that media outlets reporting on Vyacheslav's marriage to the daughter of Boris Shpigel, a very wealthy and influential Russian figure, described him as a friend of Viktor Yanukovych Jr. Shpigel himself, who publicly spoke out against the "bloody Kyiv junta," is a former Russian senator, a pharmaceutical magnate, and a leader of the Russian Jewish community.
There was no denial from Sobolev about his connections to the "Family" and his friendship with Viktor Yanukovych, and his silence was a sign of agreement.
Friendship with the "orange"
From April 2005 to May 2006, Sobolev served as deputy to Donetsk Mayor Alexander Lukyanchenko. By then, Wikipedia lists him as a member of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. This was during Viktor Yushchenko's presidency. By this time, Sobolev had become close friends with the "Orange" factions, and it is rumored that he even played a role in founding the Donetsk-based "Our Ukraine." At that time, Sobolev enjoyed great popularity among his fellow countrymen. However, he is viewed negatively because at that time he was "squeezing" land plots for the construction of his stores in Donetsk. As for the "Obzhora" retail chain, since 2005, Sobolev has been listed only as an external consultant on business development.
Sobolev also has ties to Yuriy Yekhanurov. In 2005, Sobolev headed the Donetsk Regional Association of Employers, while the president of the All-Ukrainian Association of Employers was Yuriy Yekhanurov, a member of Our Ukraine, who was then the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration and, since September 2005, the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
From April 2006 to September 2007, Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich worked at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine as a state inspector in the department of information security issues of the state and information security department of the Department of State Security of the apparatus council.
And again the Party of Regions
After Viktor Yanukovych's victory in the 2010 presidential election, Sobolev shifted his political allegiance again, naturally in favor of the Party of Regions. This is likely why he landed a position at Naftogaz.
In February 2010, Sobolev was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz of Ukraine, and later Chairman of the Board. In March 2011, after Yanukovych's team took over the company, he resigned from Naftogaz of Ukraine.
Sobolev is also considered close to Yanukovych-era energy minister Yuriy Boyko. When Yanukovych became president, Boyko, as the energy minister, controlled the entire energy sector in the country. Sobolev became deputy chairman of the board of Naftogaz almost simultaneously with Boyko's appointment. There is no doubt that all positions at Naftogaz were approved by the Ministry of Energy, and such matters were not decided without Boyko's presence.
Heading for the BPP
After Euromaidan, Sobolev's political allegiances shifted again. Today, his patron is said to be Lev Partskhaladze, First Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv Regional State Administration and head of the Kyiv branch of the Solidarity party. Partskhaladze, incidentally, is also a chameleon-like politician. He once headed the Strong Ukraine faction in the Kyiv City Council, although previously he was a member of the Vitali Klitschko Bloc faction. In August 2011, he even declared his support for party leader Serhiy Tihipko and was prepared to join the Party of Regions faction in the City Council. However, this never happened.
Vyacheslav Sobolev's "political makeover" may indicate his role as a kind of connecting link between representatives of the old and new governments. After all, the Yenakiyevo native has never publicly clashed with any political forces with different views.
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