Ukraine's 1+1 TV channel claimed that the authorities put pressure on it. That's how journalists commented on the president's intention to sue the media holding company. Earlier, the channel issued an investigation of Pyotr Poroshenko's activities. It was about the corruption schemes the politician took part in. In addition to that, there was information about the possible involvement of Poroshenko in assassinations, including the murder of his own brother.
Ekaterina Mironova has the details of the difficult political situation in Ukraine less than a week before the elections.
Poroshenko's circle called another Ukrainian Sensations program aired by the 1+1 channel an act of revenge by Igor Kolomoisky. The team of the current president running for the second term claimed that he'll sue the media company owned by the oligarch.
"Mr. Kolomoisky is guided by a desire to exact revenge upon the state. As we know, the government had to nationalize Privatbank to save the money of millions of its investors. And this is the main cause for Igor Kolomoisky's information war against the authorities".
Poroshenko couldn't stand it any longer after the program in which Renato Usatîi, a Moldovan politician, accused the Ukrainian president of being involved in the murder of his own brother Mikhail, was aired. Alexander Dubinsky, the project's producer, stated on YouTube that all of the facts in the program are backed up by evidence and the testimony of witnesses.
Alexander Dubinsky, producer: "The previous Ukrainian Sensations program was dedicated to the looting of the military by Svinarchuk and Poroshenko, the sale of the LenKuznya plant, and theft in the military, fraud in the construction of barracks, and the theft of food supplies. Pyotr Alekseevich doesn't sue us because of this for some reason. He's offended only by the story involving his brother. Judging by this, it means that he agrees with all the other claims."
Another scandal in Ukraine is connected to Marie Yovanovitch, the US ambassador. She became the head of the embassy under Obama in 2016. That's why Trump's current administration doesn't like her. Kiev interfered in the underhanded maneuvers. General Attorney Yuriy Lutsenko, Poroshenko's right-hand man, accused Yovanovitch of giving him a list of people in Ukraine who shouldn't be prosecuted. It happened two years ago. But Kiev waited for the right moment. Kiev will benefit if the ambassador is recalled right now.
Valery Korovin, political analyst: "She happened to be in the crosshairs here. On one hand, the current Ukrainian regime doesn't like her because she won't let them falsify the elections or at least actively hinder it. On the other hand, she's not advantageous to Trump's administration, which fights against globalists and removes them from everywhere as an anti-globalist. So, she's to be replaced, too".
Experts also point to the upcoming elections to explain the recent law granting members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army the same status as war veterans. This law takes effect in Ukraine today. Over a thousand members of the organization that fought against the Soviet Union in the 40s will get social benefits. And Poroshenko will get the votes of nationalists.
Ivan Mezyukho, political analyst: "Undoubtedly, this event is connected to the elections. If earlier, the Ukrainian president pretended to be a democrat, now during the election campaign, he raised the red and black Bandera flag because he partially focuses on the radical right-wing Ukrainian minority which always actively takes part in the elections".
There are just 5 days left before the elections in Ukraine. There'll be 39 candidates on the ballot. The election commission found out that the candidates officially spent almost 900 million hryvnias on political advertising. That's two billion rubles ($31 million). Pyotr Poroshenko has the biggest budget for the campaign. Yulia Timoshenko has the second biggest budget. In fact, she has spent half as much as the incumbent has.
Ekaterina Mironova for Vesti.
