A number of members of parliament have fled Ukraine. Some managed to leave the country before the outbreak of full-scale war, while other draft-age politicians broke through the border after martial law had already been imposed.
OBOZREVATEL will publish the names of all MPs who are outside Ukraine during the war.
First of all, we will talk about the deputies Stepan Ivakhiv (For the Future), Oleksiy Kovalev (Servant of the People), and Oleg Voloshin (Opposition Platform - For Life).
Traitor MPs. Stepan Ivakhiv: He may be abroad.
Stepan Ivakhiv , a member of the For the Future faction, is one of the few parliamentarians openly accused of attempting to flee the country illegally. According to MP Iryna Herashchenko, Ivakhiv and a friend attempted to cross the border at the Ustyluh checkpoint on the night of March 11-12. Ivakhiv, 54, is of draft age and therefore cannot leave the country during martial law.
Stepan Ivahiv
The MP obtained a diplomatic passport on March 9th in order to leave the country. But even that was of no avail. Herashchenko claims he took $310 in cash with him. As OBOZREVATEL has learned, Ivakhiv was turned back on the night of March 11th and 12th, and he did not cross the border. However, according to unconfirmed reports, the MP soon decided to flee again, and this time he succeeded.
Now, according to our sources, whom we are currently verifying, Ivakhiv is trying to legalize his status. He doesn't have a border crossing stamp in his passport, so he could be prosecuted and deported from the country he's in at any time. Furthermore, in such a case, he could also face problems upon returning to Ukraine.
We also request comment on the situation from Ivakhiva's company, the Continuum Fuel and Industrial Group, which continues to operate in Ukraine.
Kovalev: He went to build a business for the occupiers.
Another "servant of the people" member, Oleksiy Kovalyov, hasn't attended Rada sessions for several months. As soon as his native Kherson Oblast was captured by Russian occupiers, he went to save his warehouses from looters. At least, that's what he told reporters.
"We also have a lot of businesses, registered, of course, not in my name, but in the names of my relatives and so on. You see, looting began in the first few days... Various materials were stolen from stores, warehouses, and offices," the MP added.
On his social media page, Kovalev accuses the Ukrainian government of spreading fake news, claims there will be no referendum in the Kherson region, and claims he is providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainians under occupation. Judging by his rhetoric, the deputy plans to continue his career under occupation.
Alexey Kovalev
According to our sources, Kovalev managed to reach an agreement with the occupation authorities: they agreed not to touch his agricultural business and warehouses. The MP himself, however, disagrees. According to him, a Ukrainian politician from the ruling faction can freely move around the occupied territory, transport humanitarian aid, and remain undetected by Russian saboteurs. And this is happening while activists, journalists, and anyone who opposes the occupation are being kidnapped in the Kherson region. This apparently doesn't apply to Kovalev.
"From what I know, the question of suspending his activities within the Servant of the People faction is being raised because no one can figure out where he is, what he's doing, what activities he's conducting, what comments he's making, and whether he's actually using his mobile phones and social media," said Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Traitor MPs: Voloshin Fled to Belarus
Oleg Voloshin, an associate of Putin's godfather Viktor Medvedchuk and a member of the disbanded Opposition Platform - For Life party, fled Ukraine for Belarus 10 days before the full-scale war. The deputy was likely aware of Russia's plans. However, even after his escape, the politician continued to assert that Russia had no plans for aggression.
Voloshin also spoke of plans for "aggression by nationalist groups." These assessments were widely published by Russian propaganda media, particularly MK.
"What I do believe, and have confirmation from a variety of sources, is a surge in aggression, which, amid the Western-fueled war hysteria, is being planned by radical nationalist groups in the capital and other cities," Voloshin asserted on February 15. He left for Belarus on February 14.
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