In a TV interview today, the deputy of the head of the security service of Ukraine [SBU], Valery Khoroshkovsky, said he does not exclude the possibility of special alpha force units appearing in the office of the first Vice-Premier of the Ukraine Olexander Turchynov [who is one of Yulia Tymoshenko's most trusted colleagues].
Khoroshkovsky claimed Turchynov is in possession of documents concerning the ownership 11 Bn CM of RosUkrEnerho gas that had been stored in Ukraine but which is currently being consumed by state gas company Naftohaz Ukrainy.
When speaking about the recent raid at Nafthaz Ukrainy offices by security service personnel and their failure to obtain these documents, he said: "If we do not obtain these documents, let no-one be surprised, if special "alpha" forces appear in the office of the first vice-premier".
"The immaculately groomed, bouffant-haired ever-smiling Khoroshkovsky [a.k.a Mentadent after a well-known European brand of toothpaste] gave a forthright, confident and rather threatening performance in Friday's TV show [see previous blog]. The president also stoutly defended RUE's ownership rights.
RUE has been at the root of the Yushchenko-Tymoshenko conflict since September 2005, when Yushchenko dismissed the-then PM Tymoshenko because the-then head of SBU Turchynov was treading on 'too many toes' in his investigation into corrupt gas business practices. Turchynov had claimed at that time that Yushchenko himself had ordered him to back off.
Khoroshkovsky, in his TV interview, also declared: "Everyone understands, and Tymoshenko knows this, that it is impossible to break me. A year ago she tried to break me, and finally sacked me [from the customs service]."
Outrageously, Khoroshkovsky is alleged to have "tight business links with RosUkrEnergo’s owners [Dmytro] Firtash and [Yuriy] Bojko, Party of Regions bankers," so there is a most blatant conflict of interest here. He is also one of Ukraine's wealthiest businessmen.
Because of the deeply entrenched positions of the participants in this saga, matters could turn ugly very quickly..someone is going to find themselves on their a***.
So why did Tym appoint this same person head of the customs service. What was she upto?
ReplyDeleteit appears Yush will stop at nothing to protect Firtash's interests and the interests of the corrupt RosUkrEnergo. This was why Yush appointed Khoroshkovsky to the position of first deputy of the SBU.
ReplyDeleteThis an issue that should be resolved by the courts. It is a dispute of ownership and entitlement.
ReplyDeleteYushchenko appears to be using the SBU as his own personal militia/debt collection agency.
The basis of Yushchenko's involvement may be found in reports that Yushchenko's party "Our Ukraine" is suffering a financial crisis of its own. It has been reported that Our Ukraine is on the verge of being bankrupt.
Could it be that Firtash has offered Yushchenko a percentage of the take to help fund his Parties political misfortune?