Ukraine announced late on Tuesday that its forces had captured Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian oligarch and politician who is considered a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He is considered the senior-most pro-Russian lawmaker in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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.
In a televised address, Zelenskyy said Medvedchuk was captured while attempting to flee the country. Zelenskyy suggested in the address he was ready to exchange Medvedchuk for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. Zelenskyy said “I propose to the Russian Federation to exchange this guy of yours for our boys and our girls who are now in Russian captivity.”
Zelenskyy also declared the capture of Medvedchuk would be an example. “And may Medvedchuk be an example for you. Even the former oligarch did not escape. What can we say about much simpler criminals from the Russian hinterland? We will get everyone,” he was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
The Russian government was guarded in its response to the capture of Medvedchuk. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told mediapersons “there are a lot of fakes coming from Ukraine... This needs to be checked first.”
Who is Medvedchuk?
Medvedchuk, among the richest men in Ukraine, has been a controversial figure. He was believed to have a net worth of about $620 million in 2021.
He has been on vacation with Putin, and the Russian leader is considered to be the godfather to his youngest daughter. Medvedchuk said in an interview last year his relationship with Putin “has developed over 20 years”.
In 2021, Zelenskyy ordered that three TV stations owned by Medvedchuk be blocked on charges of spreading pro-Russian propaganda.
In 2014, the Barack Obama administration had imposed sanctions on Medvedchuk over the conflict in Crimea. Medvedchuk was targeted for being the “leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine and actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
Interestingly, US experts had believed Medvedchuk would be one of the options for Putin as a 'puppet ruler' to replace Zelenskyy in the event of a successful coup.
