Zelenskyy insider takes control of assets belonging to pro-Russian ex-politicians, claims journalist
An influential member of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s team has taken over the assets of the former head of the pro-Russian Nashi party, Yevhen Murayev, and former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, Alisa Yurchenko, editor and journalist of the Bihus.info investigative project, said in an interview with Radio NV on Nov. 3.
"They are now being helped in Ukraine to save their business assets," Yurchenko explained.
“For example, a person like (Vadym) Slyusarev. This is a person who has a certain influence in Zelenskyy's team, who was in Zelenskyy's campaign headquarters in Kharkiv Oblast, who worked in the tax office, and whose origin of wealth is also a huge question. This person has been constantly featured in materials about smuggling and smugglers. But this Slyusarev was not sanctioned either. And he has now taken over the assets of Murayev and Azarov. In particular, in Kharkiv, large ones. In fact, he saved them from possible sanctions.”
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, Slyusarev took over the Kharkiv-based Rapid plant, which is engaged in light-frame house construction. Until July 2022, the enterprise belonged to Murayev-Azarov's entourage. Slyusarev also moved part of the plant's production facilities to Hungary.
There "are also people in Zelenskyy's team" who are interested in helping Azarov, Murayev and other fugitives from Ukraine, she added.
Slyusarev left Ukraine for Russia on Feb. 18, Ukrainska Pravda reported in March 2022, citing data from the Russia Border Guard Service.
Slyusarev entered Russia by car through the Nekhotiyivka checkpoint, with the intended purpose indicated as "temporary residence".
On Feb. 26, the third day after Russia's full-scale invasion, Slyusarev registered, noting the planned date of departure as Feb. 26, 2022. However, at the time of crossing the border, the period of stay in the database was indicated as March 10.
According to the Russian Border Guard Service, Slyusarev visited the country in 2021, 2020, and 2019.
After the publication of the Ukrainska Pravda story, the page where Slyusarev was mentioned as a member of the council of the Kharkiv Oblast party organization was removed from the official website of the Servant of the People party.
According to the investigation of Radio Liberty’s Schemes project, Slyusarev approved the candidacies of all Kharkiv single constituency MPs from the Servant of the People party in the 2019 elections and had a quota in the lists for the local elections.
In the past, Slyusarev was an assistant to Artem Pshonka, who is primarily known for having served as a border guard in Kharkiv for a long time. Under Viktor Yanukovych, his career skyrocketed, and he was promoted to an influential position in Kyiv.
Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who has been hiding in Russia since 2014, was recently charged for spreading Russian propaganda.
However, he still owns property in Ukraine and Europe, Bihus.info states, albeit indirectly – through the so-called "pounds" – those who agreed to become fictitious directors in a company for money.
Former parliamentarian Yevhen Muryaev was charged by Ukraine’s SBU security service with treason in July 2023.
Murayev used the Nash TV channel, which he controlled, to ensure the mass dissemination of Kremlin propaganda to “manipulate the public opinion of Ukrainians in the interests of the Russian Federation.”
The SBU said Murayev’s efforts focused on distorting information about the internal political situation in Ukraine. Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council previously placed sanctions on the TV channel in February 2022.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
