The former president finds it difficult to explain his close relationship with Putin's godfather. Photo: Apostrophe / Collage
Fifth President Petro Poroshenko, leader of the European Solidarity party, and the controversial godfather of the Russian President, Viktor Medvedchuk, are becoming increasingly entangled in the same political "boat" with each passing day. Both political forces harshly criticize the Office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for its attempts to crack down on political opponents. Every attack on the Opposition Platform - For Life party makes Petro Poroshenko nervous and makes excuses. The fifth president is forced to explain almost daily why, as the "chief patriot," he allowed Viktor Medvedchuk's political resurgence. Why Petro Poroshenko has no clear answers to such questions, but has a chance to save himself thanks to US sanctions against Kolomoisky, read this article. "Apostrophe".
Careless interview
Ukrainian security forces continue to dig under Viktor Medvedchuk. Previously, alleged business ties to the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast, which the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is investigating, served as the basis for sanctions against Taras Kozak, the formal owner of the 112, Zik, and NewsOne television channels. Media reports indicate that Viktor Medvedchuk is the ultimate owner of these assets. The business assets of Putin's crony have also been targeted.
However, Medvedchuk's media presence is clearly a priority for the authorities. It's no wonder that a new attempt to launch a new pro-Russian channel based on "First Independent," owned by the controversial former Svoboda MP Ihor Krivetsky, also known as "Pups," ended in failure—it was taken offline just an hour after it went live.
At the same time, the intelligence service was interested in an interview Mr. Medvedchuk gave to Kremlin propagandists at RT after the first round of sanctions was imposed against him. In it, he rattled off the entire Kremlin litany of clichés: "anti-Russian hysteria" and "cave-like Russophobia," which allegedly exist in our country; as well as the "external control" of Ukraine by the United States, and the demand for "federalization" of Ukraine and the abandonment of NATO integration, which would supposedly be one of the tools for returning the ORDLO to Kyiv's control.
The SBU is currently investigating this interview for violations by Mr. Medvedchuk. There is evidence to support this. The conversation was allegedly recorded in Ukraine. In one scene, the journalist utters the following line: "Today, three major television channels were shut down. So does this mean that we, opposition journalists, have to leave the country and are left without any protection?" The woman spoke with a distinct "Russian accent," suggesting that these "opposition journalists" include media professionals from Russia with ties to Kremlin propaganda.
Furthermore, the authorities and security forces are clearly interested in the OPZZh's possible involvement in organizing the "tariff Maidan" protests that swept across several regions at the beginning of the year.
"The so-called 'tariff Maidans' were orchestrated by people from Viktor Medvedchuk's group within the Opposition Platform — For Life party. There was a social base for protest, and the Opposition Platform — For Life party capitalized on this. Although the National Security and Defense Council sanctions weren't a response specifically to the 'Maidans,' they had an effect. As soon as the TV channels were shut down and sanctions were imposed on business assets, the 'Maidans' ceased. This, once again, confirms that the protests were planned specifically as a political tactic," Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta Center for Applied Political Research, told Apostrophe.
Poroshenko's justifications
Every action taken by Bankova against the Opposition Platform – For Life party automatically impacts European Solidarity and its leader, Petro Poroshenko, causing him to become nervous and make mistakes. After the first sanctions against pro-Russian forces, the EU began making confused excuses for why Poroshenko appointed Viktor Medvedchuk as Ukraine's representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, knowing that Medvedchuk had been on the US sanctions list since 2014. The next question is: why didn't the authorities implement sanctions against Medvedchuk during Poroshenko's presidency?
To smooth over the negative sentiment, Petro Poroshenko publicly attacked Viktor Medvedchuk for the first time, calling him a "collaborator." As head of state, he never made such statements. Only shortly before the presidential election did Poroshenko, for the sake of appearances, instruct the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to investigate the advisability of Mr. Medvedchuk's presence on the TCG, which he himself had appointed.
Then, fearing sanctions from the Bankova and the National Security and Defense Council, the fifth president announced the "purchase" of the Pryamyi television channel. According to one theory, he did this to personally protect his assets from investigations into possible ties between Pryamyi's owners and Viktor Medvedchuk's sanctioned businesses.
A tragicomic situation has emerged. Petro Poroshenko and Viktor Medvedchuk rushed to defend the television channels associated with them, accusing the Presidential Office of attempting to crack down on political opponents. Despite their apparent antagonism, both parties found themselves in the same political boat. The more the government escalates the Opposition Platform for Housing and Utilities (OPZZ) affair, the more pain it inflicts on the leader of European Solidarity.
Poroshenko's mistakes
After the second wave of sanctions against pro-Russian forces and the publication of recordings of alleged conversations between Viktor Medvedchuk and former presidential adviser Vladislav Surkov, Petro Poroshenko's situation became even more unbearable. He made the mistake of claiming that Bankova was targeting Viktor Medvedchuk, but was actually aiming at him—Petro Poroshenko.
"It seems that Zelenskyy needed Medvedchuk for an information attack not so much on the Opposition Platform – For Life party and Russia, but on European Solidarity and me personally. They're trying to inflate pseudo-sensations from well-known facts – facts I've repeatedly stated in interviews and at press conferences," Petro Poroshenko stated.
"Petro Poroshenko is discrediting and exposing himself with such statements. He's effectively admitted his connection to Viktor Medvedchuk, so it turns out they're attacking the Opposition Platform — For Life party, but indirectly hitting Petro Poroshenko," says Volodymyr Fesenko.
Medvedchuk's forecasts
Viktor Medvedchuk returned the favor. In an interview with the BBC, he stated that Petro Poroshenko has every chance of running for president again. The following conversation took place between the correspondent and the politician.
Bi-bi-si: Do you think Poroshenko can become president of Ukraine again?
V.M.: Of course.
Bi-bi-si: Seriously?
V.M.: Are you going to write this off as a joke? I believe that if there are early presidential elections in the next six months to a year, Poroshenko will become president.
According to experts, these statements only confirm the “convenience” of Pyotr Alekseevich for pro-Russian forces.
"The published telephone conversations between Poroshenko and Putin, with exchanges of 'Handshake. Hugs.' confirm that the Kremlin found the fifth president a convenient sparring partner. Viktor Medvedchuk, who was anti-Russian in words but in reality, has enjoyed a political resurgence with the full support of Petro Poroshenko," Oles Doniy, director of the Center for Political Values Research, told Apostrophe.
Now Bankova's active actions are driving the Opposition Platform - For Life and European Solidarity beyond their limits.
"The presidential office isn't simply attacking Petro Poroshenko and Viktor Medvedchuk. The government's actions are dividing both political teams. They're constantly raising issues that are extremely uncomfortable for the fifth president. The Opposition Platform - For Life (OPZZh) has clearly split into Viktor Medvedchuk's wing, and Yuriy Boyko and Serhiy Lyovochkin's wing, who currently appear confident. They expect to become the main heirs to Viktor Medvedchuk's crumbling political empire," political expert Viktor Nebozhenko told Apostrophe.
In any case, Bankova's struggle with Medvedchuk and pro-Russian forces is only gaining momentum. The more political "trophies" the Presidential Office secures (sanctions, criminal cases, accusations of collaboration and betrayal of national interests), the more pain it will inflict on Petro Poroshenko. However, the latter recently had a good chance to shift the blame: Washington's recent imposition of sanctions against oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky is focusing attention on Bankova, which has clearly been placed in an awkward position. Zelenskyy apparently has no desire to mount a repressive campaign against Kolomoisky. Poroshenko could take advantage of this, easily pressuring the Presidential Office, accusing it of collusion with the former owner of PrivatBank. Thus, Kolomoisky, a well-known opponent of Petro Poroshenko, could unwittingly serve the former head of state in his standoff with Zelenskyy.
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