Bric-a-Brac

Petro Poroshenko after his deposition.

Former president Petro Poroshenko gave a deposition yesterday at the State Bureau of Investigation for possible tax fraud concerning the sale of TV channel "Direct". Poroshenko denies having any ownership ties to Direct. He will provide a voluntary followup session very soon attached to a polygraph. Poroshenko is facing 12 other investigations. Although Poroshenko claims these are political charges made by former Yanukovych deputy chairman Andrei Portnov, this is not possible in most of the cases. And most of these charges were filed before sitting president Volodmyr Zelenskyy even appeared on the political scene. It seems to me Poroshenko is most vulnerable to the corruption inside the state monopoly that manufactures weapons, and for possibly stalling the legal process concerning the Berkut (riot police) that fired on and killed ~100 civilians during the Maidan protests. I also think Poroshenko has to own part of the official negligence that led to the massacre (300+) of Ukrainian forces at Ilovaisk in 2014.

Netanyahu To Be First Israeli Prime Minister To Visit Ukraine In 20 Years

8/12/19
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Ukraine on August 18-20, the first foreign leader to visit the country since Volodymyr Zelenskiy became president. Netanyahu will become the first Israeli prime minister to visit Kyiv in 20 years and will repeat his trip of March 1999 when he was then the country’s government leader, The Times of Israel reports. He will meet Zelenskiy and pay a visit to the Babyn Yar memorial, the site in Kyiv where Nazis killed more than 33,000 Jews in 1941, as well as Ukrainian nationalists, Roma, homosexuals, and others whom they considered “undesirables.” Netanyahu’s visit comes less than a month before elections to the Knesset, Israel’s unicameral national legislature.

Ukraine and Israel are the world’s only two countries in which the president and prime ministers are Jews. Ukraine’s prime minister is Volodymyr Hroysman and Israel’s president is Reuven Rivlin. Zelenskiy signed a free-trade pact with Israel on August 7 that parliament ratified a month earlier. Trade turnover between the two countries last year equaled $1.34 billion, consisting mostly of grain, ferrous metals, chemicals, and mineral fuel. According to the deal, duties will be cancelled for approximately 80 percent of Israeli goods and 70 percent of Ukrainian. When Ukraine and Israel officially signed their free-trade deal in January, Netanyahu announced relations with Kyiv are “strong” and are based on “deep historical and cultural roots.” Israel’s fourth prime minister, Golda Meir, was born in Kyiv and lived there until she was eight before emigrating to the United States.

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A perfunctory visit. Netanyahu is divisive and faces three indictments in October for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. In June his wife Sara Netanyahu agreed to plea guilty to “intentionally exploiting the mistake of another”. I also believe it to be hypocritical to welcome the leader of a brutal military occupation.

Rogue Valley said:

Petro Poroshenko after his deposition.

Former president Petro Poroshenko gave a deposition yesterday at the State Bureau of Investigation for possible tax fraud concerning the sale of TV channel "Direct". Poroshenko denies having any ownership ties to Direct. He will provide a voluntary followup session very soon attached to a polygraph. Poroshenko is facing 12 other investigations. Although Poroshenko claims these are political charges made by former Yanukovych deputy chairman Andrei Portnov, this is not possible in most of the cases. And most of these charges were filed before sitting president Volodmyr Zelenskyy even appeared on the political scene. It seems to me Poroshenko is most vulnerable to the corruption inside the state monopoly that manufactures weapons, and for possibly stalling the legal process concerning the Berkut (riot police) that fired on and killed ~100 civilians during the Maidan protests. I also think Poroshenko has to own part of the official negligence that led to the massacre (300+) of Ukrainian forces at Ilovaisk in 2014.

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Court Gives Green Light For Ukrainian Ex-President To Take Lie-Detector Test

The man above - Sergei Kusyuk - is wanted on an international arrest warrant (Interpol) issued by Ukraine for his role in the shooting deaths of over 100 protesters during the 2013-14 Maidan protests in Kyiv. He served as Commander of Viktor Yanukovych's Berkut (riot police) during this time and he disappeared from Ukraine after Yanukovych fled to Russia and the Yanukovych government dissolved.

Kusyuk has recently been spotted and photographed/filmed in Moscow, wearing the uniform of a Colonel in the Russian Interior Ministry's OMON (riot police) force. On August 3, 2019 he was filmed on Moscow's Novy Arbat commanding the beatings and arrest of dozens of protesters. In May 2014, Ukrainian parliament deputy Hennadiy Moskal alleged that Kusyuk may have transported with him to Crimea the sniper rifles used by Berkut officers to shoot demonstrators on February 18-20.

The Putin regime provides sanctuary for many wanted criminals. Kusyuk is precisely the sort of sadistic individual that would have assisted the Nazis in rounding up Jews in Ukraine during WWII.

[video=youtube;_cedbYqi9XI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?_cedbYqi9XI[/video]

These are some of the companies owned by oligarch and Putin crony Yevgeny Prighozin under the Concord Management parent company. Missing here is Concord Catering which has the contract to supply food for all Russian military bases and also caters for state functions within the Kremlin. Due to his ownership of Wagner Group PMC (Private Military Contractor) which is used as a substitute for Russian soldiers wherever the Kremlin seeks plausible deniability, Prighozin sits on the Russian Ministry of Defense Committee with the Generals of the different military branches. He now owns two 24/7 troll factories located in the same St. Petersburg neighborhood (Olgino).


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A fire at the Tokyo Star Hotel in Odesa last night claimed the lives of 8 people. The hotel owner and management are under investigation, as are employees of the State Emergency Service of the Odesa region for allegedly improper performance of their duties (fire code inspections).

In a stunning development, Yuriy Hrymchak, the Deputy Minister for the Temporarily Occupied Territories, has been arrested and charged with massive fraud.

Rogue Valley said:

A fire at the Tokyo Star Hotel in Odesa last night claimed the lives of 8 people. The hotel owner and management are under investigation, as are employees of the State Emergency Service of the Odesa region for allegedly improper performance of their duties (fire code inspections).

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Vadim Cherny

The owner of the Tokyo Star Hotel property in Odesa - Vadim Cherny - has been arrested and charged with Part 2 of Article 270 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the requirements of fire safety, which caused grave consequences). This article provides for a term of imprisonment of between three and eight years. The property tenant (Tarnowski) who manages the hotel will also be charged with fire code and safety violations. Nine people died in the fire and another seven suffered from smoke inhalation. Three fire-code inspectors of the SESP are also being investigated for negligence and possible fraud.

Rogue Valley said:

Vadim Cherny

The owner of the Tokyo Star Hotel property in Odesa - Vadim Cherny - has been arrested and charged with Part 2 of Article 270 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the requirements of fire safety, which caused grave consequences). This article provides for a term of imprisonment of between three and eight years. The property tenant (Tarnowski) who manages the hotel will also be charged with fire code and safety violations. Nine people died in the fire and another seven suffered from smoke inhalation. Three fire-code inspectors of the SESP are also being investigated for negligence and possible fraud.

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The property owner has been ordered to the remand prison ... no bail.

Giuliani Renews Push for Ukraine to Investigate Trump’s Political Opponents



President Zelenskyy, don't get involved in American politics.

Beware of Donald Trump and Rudy Guiliani, they are doing Putin's work.

Waiting for the 9th convocation of the Ukraine Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) to be seated.


The delegates to the new Ukraine parliament (2019-2024) will be seated on August 24, 2019 - Independence Day in Ukraine.

The seating arrangement is as follows.....



Green = Servant of the People Party MPs (254 seats) seated closest to the front dais.
Blue = For Life Party MPs (43 seats)
Red = Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) Party MPs (26 seats)
Purple = European Solidarity Party MPs (25 seats)
Gold = Holos (Voice) Party MPs (20 seats)
Gray = Independent MPs (56)
White = missing MPs from occupied Crimea and the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine (26 seats)

U.S. Senator Says He Was Denied Russian Visa, Calls Putin's Policies 'Tragedy Of Historic Proportions'


U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R/WI).

8/26/19
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (Republican-Wisconsin) says that Russia has denied him a visa to visit as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Johnson had planned to speak with Russian government officials, American businesses, civil society organizations, and others, his office said in a press release on August 26. It didn’t say when he had planned to visit Russia or if other members of the delegation also had their applications rejected. The Russian Embassy to the United States later Posted on Twitter: "The U.S. senator’s “groundless accusations against Russia leave no doubt -- he is ready not for a dialogue, but a confrontation."

Johnson has in the past said Russia is taking “a dark turn” under President Vladimir Putin and criticized Putin in the visa denial announcement. “The path Vladimir Putin has chosen for Russia is a tragedy of historic proportions,” Johnson said. “Instead of holding free and fair elections, respecting the rule of law, and integrating Russia’s economy with Western democracies, Putin has invaded Georgia, attempted to illegally annex Crimea, and conducted war in eastern Ukraine where thousands have died.”

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The Putin regime has no interest in hearing the truth Senator. But your president loves Putin anyway.

Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton is in Ukraine today. That is a double-edge sword.

Former Ukraine Health Minister under Viktor Yanukovych Raisa Bohatyriova (above) has been arrested and bond set at $280,000. She was detained by border guards at Kyiv's Zhuliany Airport after hiding for five years in Russia. She will be charged with embezzling UAH 6 million ($238,663) in government funds.

President Zelenskyy has appointed Anna Novosad (above) as the new Minister of Education.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko (above), appointed by Petro Poroshenko, has submitted his resignation to president Zelenskyy.

Fire him today. He is corrupt and has impeded many investigations.

Oleksiy Honcharuk (above) has been appointed Prime Minister.

n 2007, he graduated from Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, having Master's degree in law. In 2012, he graduated from the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine with Master's degree in state administration. Honcharuk is also a graduate of Kyiv Mohyla Business School and an Aspen Institute Kyiv program. In 2008, he became the founder and managing partner of the law firm Constructive Lawyers. In 2015-2019, Honcharuk headed the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO). He was also an adviser to Ecology Minister Ihor Shevchenko and First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv.

Rogue Valley said:

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko (above), appointed by Petro Poroshenko, has submitted his resignation to president Zelenskyy.

Fire him today. He is corrupt and has impeded many investigations.

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Yuriy Lutsenko's resignation was accepted.

Ruslan Riaboshapka (below) has been appointed by Zelenskyy as the new Prosecutor General.

Andriy Zahorodniuk (above) has been named Ukraine's new Defense Minister.

August 29. Ukraine's first ever black member of the parliament, Zhan Beleniuk, has now been sworn in.

Ivan Bakanov (above) has been appointed to head the SBU (Ukraine Security Service).

A parliament vote has passed to remove criminal immunity from Members of Parliament (MPs). Since this will require a change to the Constitution, a second vote will be necessary.

The new government has decided to allow Interior Minister Arsen Avakov retain his Cabinet position. It was felt that a wholesale change in the middle of a war would be detrimental to Ukraine. However, the government let it be known to Avakov that police reforms must continue. The National Police (patrol service) was totally reformed, but there it stopped. Criminal police reform needs to be continued, especially with detectives who have dragged their feet investigating certain crimes associated with Maidan. Avakov will be considered a "probationary" appointment. He needs to be watched carefully. Avakov is not above corruption. Various civic groups have protested against Avakov. He has held the Interior Minister position since February 2014.

Also retaining her Cabinet position will be Oksana Markarova as Finance Minister.

The Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers is Dmitry Dubilet

Vice Prime Minister for European Integration - Dmitry Kuleba

The Minister of Finance is Oksana Markarova (retained)

Minister of Economy - Tymofiy Milovanov

Minister of Infrastructure - Vladislav Krikliy .

The Minister of Energy - Alexey Orzhel

The Minister of Defense - Andriy Zagorodniuk

Interior Minister - Arsen Avakov (retained)

Foreign Minister - Vadim Prystayko

Minister of Health - Zoryana Skeletska

Minister of Education - Anna Novosad

Justice Minister - Denis Malyus'ka

Minister of Housing and Communal Services - Alona Babak

Minister of Social Policy - Yulia Sokolovskaya

Minister for Humanitarian Policy - Volodymyr Borodyansky

Minister of Veterans and Temporarily Occupied Territories - Oksana Kolyada

Minister for IT - Mikhail Fedorov

Minister of Youth and Sports - Volodymyr Borodyanskyi

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) - Dmytro Razumkov

Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada (opposition) - Olena Kondratyuk (Batkivshchyna/Fatherland Party of Yulia Tymoshenko)

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The Servant of the People political party announced that they won't be forming a coalition with any of the political parties. Their parliamentary majority allows them to implement most decisions without help from other MPs.

David Arakhamia was named as the head of the Servant of the People faction
Serhiy Rakhmanin was named as the leader of the Holos (Voice) faction
Yulia Tymoshenko was announced the head of her Batkivshchyna faction
Yuriy Boyko with Vadym Novinskyi will head For Life faction
Artur Herasymov and Iryna Herashchenko were named to head the European Solidarity faction (Poroshenko)
Taras Batenko and Viktor Bondar will head the For Future faction

Committee chairperson's will be assigned asap.

Former Economy Minister (2014-2016) of Ukraine Aivaras Abromavicius (above) was appointed to head the state-owned Ukroboronprom, which is a huge (30+ companies) organization involved in producing Ukraine's weapons. Born in Lithuania and with a Doctorate in Economics, Mr. Abromavicius was reforming the economy too well (and too honestly) to suit then President Petro Poroshenko. Poroshenko couldn't so easily dabble in corruption with Abromavicius heading the Economy Ministry, so he was fired. Just before the 2019 presidential election, it was revealed by investigative journalists that a relative of Poroshenko was involved in corruption at Ukroboronprom (selling weapons systems abroad).

Ukroboronprom should be split-up and privatized, with the companies allowed to compete in an open market with competition.