While the entire country is excitedly discussing offshore scandals involving President Petro Poroshenko, the anti-corruption campaigns of Odesa Governor Mikheil Saakashvili, and the high-profile resignations of foreign dignitaries like Eka Zguladze, Maria Gaidar, and others, some figures in Ukrainian politics are quietly pursuing their own shady dealings. Among them is the "grey cardinal," or as some call him, the "pastor," Oleksandr Turchynov.
It's worth noting that the current Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has always managed to remain in the shadows while still accomplishing important things. Only occasionally was his illustrious persona tarnished by his ties to Pavlo Lazarenko, and in 2003, Oleksandr Valeriyovych was even accused of involvement in an illegal currency conversion center that channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, Turchynov got off easy, claiming it was all dirty political provocations.
It's worth noting that that same year, the Prosecutor General's Office sought the Verkhovna Rada's approval to prosecute Turchynov, then a BYuT MP, and his fellow party member, Stepan Khmara. They were accused of breaking into the Lukyanivske pretrial detention center and assaulting staff. But Oleksandr Valeriyovych escaped unscathed that time, too. Later in 2006, after Turchynov left his post as head of the SBU, a position he held for just over six months, the Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case for wiretapping the country's top officials during his tenure. Even then, Turchynov managed to escape unscathed, insisting that he had always acted within the law while leading the SBU, and again blaming all the charges on political intrigue.
Dubovoy's comrade and "overseer"
Although Oleksandr Turchynov has always managed to avoid major scandals, the politician cannot boast of an unblemished reputation. However, in most dubious and illegal cases, his friend, fellow Baptist, and frequent enforcer, Odesa businessman Oleksandr Dubovoy, has been at the forefront. In 2014, he was accused of masterminding embezzlement schemes at Ukrainian defense industry enterprises. According to Politrada, Yuriy Tereshchenko, Turchynov's appointed acting chairman of Ukroboronprom, and Dubovoy's nephews oversaw the embezzlement at the state-owned concern. One example of how public funds were siphoned off was the scam at the Kyiv Armored Plant (KBTZ), which is part of Ukroboronprom.
Specifically, the plant transferred 12 million hryvnias to the Odessa shell company Spets-Kom-Yug for 20 armored personnel carrier (APC) hulls, and paid another 17 million for ferrous and non-ferrous metals that had not previously been used in APC production. Although Leonid Sholomitsky, who was detained by the SBU and headed KBTZ at the time of the questionable transactions, sources within the agency described him as merely the contractor.
Another joint "creation" of Turchynov and Dubovoy, according to media reports, is their involvement in the Odesa tragedy of May 2. It's no secret that back then, in 2014, Dubovoy was appointed as the BYuT's "overseer" of the Odesa region on the recommendation of Oleksandr Valeriyovych. Moreover, many sources claim that Dubovoy was personally responsible for the appointment of senior police officials, in particular the then-head of the regional police, Petro Lutsyuk, who sided with the separatists on the day of the tragedy. Investigators still have numerous questions for Lutsyuk, but it's impossible to ask them, as he avoids meetings with law enforcement.
Therefore, after the tragic events that took place on May 2 in Odesa, many prominent Ukrainian politicians accused Dubovyi of involvement. He naturally denied all accusations, as well as any influence in Odesa. However, the Odesa businessman never denied his friendly relations with Turchynov.
Have your comrades taken on the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry?
And now, two Baptist church associates appear to have decided to get involved in Ukrainian business, or more specifically, to gain control of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We previously reported that the current head of the Chamber, Chizhikov, is facing a barrage of attacks and accusations, and someone is clearly seeking to remove him from his position. Meanwhile, with the help of regional chamber leaders, Oleksandr Dubovoy is being appointed to the Chamber Council, which allows him to be elected head of the Chamber.
Considering that the Odesa businessman is better known for his corporate raids on various businesses than for his entrepreneurial successes, it's tempting to conclude that in this case, too, he's doing the dirty work at the behest of his more influential ally, Oleksandr Turchynov. But what this pair intends to do with the organization that represents Ukrainian business abroad is beyond me.
Author: Leonid Nikolaev
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