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Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko returned to his country on Monday after a month of absence and despite the threat of arrest for “high treason”. He accuses his successor, Volodymyr Zelensky, of having ordered legal proceedings against him to “divert attention” from the real problems of Ukraine.
Former President Petro Poroshenko returned to Ukraine on Monday, January 17, despite the threat of arrest. The affair risks provoking an internal political crisis, in the midst of geopolitical tensions with Russia.
His scheduled flight from Warsaw landed shortly after 0710 GMT at Kiev’s Sikorsky Airport. Petro Poroshenko, who had been out of Ukraine for a month, went through passport control in the rush, later claiming that border guards had tried to keep him out.
He must appear at the end of the morning before a court which will decide whether to place the former head of state and opponent of President Volodymyr Zelensky in pre-trial detention.
The authorities “are so afraid of us,” he said. “They directed all their efforts not towards the protection of the state against the aggressor [russe] but towards the fight against the opposition”, he accused.
In front of the airport, several thousand of his supporters were gathered. “We need democracy” or “the country needs Porokh [surnom de Porochenko, NDLR]“, proclaimed their placards.
“High treason”
This return is reminiscent of that in Russia of the opponent Alexeï Navalny, exactly a year ago. The Kremlin critic was arrested and has been in jail ever since.
Petro Poroshenko accuses his successor of having ordered the proceedings against him to “divert attention” from the real problems of the country. The 56-year-old is the main rival of the current president and one of the richest men in Ukraine.
The authorities suspect him of having, during his presidency, maintained business ties with pro-Russian separatists in the East, which would constitute an act of “high treason”. Now a deputy, the former president has since been cited in dozens of court cases.
This showdown comes at a time when Ukraine fears an invasion by neighboring Russia, which has been massing troops and armored vehicles on its borders for months.
Assets frozen
Petro Poroshenko rejects the accusations as a whole and Washington, Ukraine’s main ally against Russia, said it was “closely following” the case.
At the beginning of January, a court in Kiev ordered the freezing of the assets of the ex-president who notably owns a large confectionery company, Roshen, and two television channels.
He is also suspected of having facilitated the purchase of coal from companies located in eastern Ukraine, in the hands of pro-Russian separatists who are at war with Kiev.
The facts date back to 2014 and 2015 and relate to approximately 48 million euros. The crime is punishable by 15 years in prison.
Ukraine has been torn since 2014 by a conflict in the east of the country between forces from Kiev and pro-Russian separatists which has killed more than 13,000 people and started after the annexation of Crimea by Moscow.
Any attempt to cooperate with the separatists, of which Moscow is widely considered the military sponsor, is very badly perceived by many Ukrainians.
In 2019, Petro Poroshenko was soundly beaten by Volodymyr Zelensky, an ex-comedian new to politics. The former head of state seems determined to take his revenge.
During his time in power, Petro Poroshenko brought his country closer to Westerners, but failed to stem corruption and poverty. Volodymyr Zelensky has promised to eradicate these scourges, without succeeding so far.
With AFP
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