From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Ukrainian politician close to Putin detained
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KYIV — Ukrainian officials say fugitive Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, who is both a pro-Russian opposition leader and a close associate of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has been detained in a special operation carried out by the country’s SBU secret service.
Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine’s national security agency, said on the agency’s Telegram channel that Medvedchuk had been arrested. The statement came shortly after President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on social media a photo of Medvedchuk sitting in handcuffs and wearing a camouflage uniform with a Ukrainian flag patch.
Medvedchuk leads the pro-Russian party Opposition Platform – For Life. He was being held under house arrest before the war began and disappeared shortly after hostilities broke out.
Putin is the godfather to Medvedchuk’s youngest daughter.
Zelenksy announces the detention of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian oligarch who was one of Putin’s closest allies in Ukraine (Putin is godfather to his daughter). He was a fugitive. There has been an arrest warrant out against him since 18 March. Unclear why he is in camouflage pic.twitter.com/6jXqFR2yq2
— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) April 12, 2022
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