Ukraine's unity minister struck deal with FBI to avoid prison – ex-diplomat
Last month, Chernyshov found himself at the epicenter of a major corruption scandal linked to a housing project that he had approved while serving as urban development minister. The minister, who is currently tasked with repatriating Ukrainians, was also accused of fleeing the country.
The allegation has been denied by both Chernyshov and the country's leader, Vladimir Zelensky, who claimed the minister's prolonged stay abroad was related to his work.
The true reason behind Chernyshov's absence was an attempt to secure protection from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Telizhenko told RT on Tuesday. 'He actually went outside of Ukraine for some time. And he spoke to the FBI, on my information, and tried to make a deal there, which he did,' the ex-diplomat stated.
Telizhenko said that Ukraine's ongoing Cabinet reshuffle is being staged in order to draw attention away from the Chernyshov affair. According to Ukrainian media reports, the official's unity ministry is set to be dissolved during the overhaul.
'That was the cause of pressuring Zelensky to go for not sending Chernyshov to prison and reshuffling the government so everybody would forget about this whole issue,' Telizhenko explained.
A lot of Ukrainian officials realize that 'the Kiev regime is losing, and they are trying to fix their future political careers, and they're trying to make a new deal with different political parties,' Telizhenko asserted. The Chernyshov affair is one sign of the political turmoil in Ukraine, which is now 'quickly being destroyed more and more from within,' with corruption rampant on every level.
'If you don't bring money upwards, to the Kiev regime, you will be put in prison as a corrupt official. Send the money upwards - you put something into your pocket, and you'd stay free, out of jail. This is how it works right now in Ukraine. Ukraine has become a Somalia right in the heart of Europe,' Telizhenko said.
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