Leader of pro-Putin opposition party in Ukraine captured during escape

Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of a pro-Russian opposition party in Ukraine who is thought to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was captured during his escape. He was expected to become the leader of a potential pro-Russian puppet government in Ukraine. He and President Putin are very close to each other, even to the point that the Russian president is the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter Daryna.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the pictures of Medvedchuk looking haggard with disheveled hair in handcuffs on Telegram on Tuesday and demanded exchanging him for Ukrainian captives taken by Russia. Medvedchuk was under arrest by the Zelenskyy administration for treason before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and was captured during his recent attempt to escape.

Medvedchuk accumulated a large amount of wealth using his relationship with President Putin to conduct oil business with Russia. Also in 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, he supported Russia and was subsequently sanctioned by the U.S. According to the Guardian, President Putin expressed anger at the news of the capturing of Medvedchuk, calling it a ‘political persecution.’


Youn-Jong Kim zozo@donga.com