President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained why sanctions were imposed on former President and MP Petro Poroshenko. The main reason is financial fraud worth billions of hryvnias.
The head of state said this during a visit to the Khmelnytsky NPP, according to Suspilne.
Sanctions through financial schemes
Zelenskyy stressed that financial monitoring had not previously recorded such violations, but now the Security Service of Ukraine and other agencies have revealed significant financial abuses.
“I’m just surprised that financial monitoring hasn’t shown us anything before. I didn’t see it, and it’s hard to say how it was before me. Now the SBU and financial monitoring show billions. And all these people – Medvedchuk and Poroshenko – are partners in this case. But I don’t want to blame them, it’s up to the courts,” the president said.
According to Zelenskyy, it is not only Poroshenko, but also other politicians involved in dubious financial transactions.
Funds could be laundered through charitable foundations
The Head of State also said that he had information about possible money laundering through funds aimed at supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“There is information that money from the funds was transferred to members of their party. It’s cynical when someone profits from helping the military during the war,” the president said.
Sanctions will not be the last
Zelenskyy stressed that the restrictions on the use of these funds are only the first step. If the sanctioned entities return the withdrawn billions to the state budget, these sanctions may be lifted.
“If they return the stolen to the budget, the money will go to the Armed Forces. Sanctions are not a punishment, but a restriction of access to assets obtained through illegal means,” the President concluded.
Earlier it became known that sanctions against Poroshenko were imposed on suspicion of financial fraud together with Viktor Medvedchuk, who is accused of treason.
