Latest news with #RevolutionofDignity
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Journalists identify collaborators involved in religious persecution in occupied Melitopol
Investigative journalists from The Kyiv Independent have identified collaborators responsible for religious persecution in the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, particularly in the city of Melitopol. Source: investigative documentary No God but Theirs Details: The journalists contacted a man currently heading the Department for Work with Religious Organisations under the Russian occupation's military-civil administration in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. His name is Artem Sharlai. He is responsible for suppressing Ukrainian churches in the occupied city of Melitopol. Originally from Zaporizhzhia, Sharlai has espoused pro-Russian views since the early 2000s. During the Revolution of Dignity, he took part in the local Anti-Maidan movement and later joined the illegal armed formations of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) at the onset of the Russo-Ukrainian war. He disappeared from the public eye for some time, returning in 2022 to launch a campaign against so-called "sects" in the occupied territory. Sharlai told journalists about his colleagues: Andrii Zinchenko, Viacheslav Lytvynenko and Oleksandr Danylov. The latter, even before the annexation of Crimea, held mid-level administrative posts and openly promoted pro-Russian rhetoric. After the start of the full-scale invasion, Danylov moved to Melitopol and now heads the Department for Internal Policy in the occupation administration. Yevhen Balytskyi, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament who sided with Russia after the full-scale invasion began, signed decrees banning churches. These orders also stripped them of all movable and immovable property. As head of the occupation administration, Balytskyi is the key figure coordinating the persecution of Ukrainian churches in Melitopol. Now, the seized church buildings are used by Russian occupation authorities. The former premises of the New Generation church host the so-called Ministry of Youth of Zaporizhzhia Oblast; the Grace church now houses the Ministry of Culture; and the Word of Life church building has been handed over to a department of the so-called Ministry of Internal Affairs. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Spain rejects Ukraine's bid for joint probe into pro-Russian politician Portnov's murder
Spanish law enforcement has declined Ukraine's proposal to form a joint task force to investigate the murder of Andrii Portnov, a lawyer and influential figure linked to Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian former president of Ukraine who fled the country after the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Source: Ukrainska Pravda article Without trial or investigation. What was Andrii Portnov doing on the eve of his murder? Quote: "Following Portnov's murder, Ukraine proposed forming a joint investigative group with Spanish law enforcement, but the offer was rejected. Spanish investigators have not ruled out the involvement of Ukrainian security services." Details: Sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda suggest two possible motives for Ukraine's interest in a joint investigation. One is to access investigative materials, including Portnov's phones and gadgets, which may contain sensitive information. The other is a desire, particularly from Oleh Tatarov, a key figure overseeing Ukraine's law enforcement, to expedite the investigation and clarify the circumstances of the killing. The Spanish authorities have also refused to release Portnov's body to Ukraine, with expectations that this might occur early next week, according to the publication. For reference: Portnov was deputy head of the presidential administration under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2010-2014. He denied crimes committed by security forces against participants of the Revolution of Dignity in the winter of 2013-2014 and fled Ukraine. He returned in 2019 on the eve of the inauguration of newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Portnov was also considered an influential shadow handler of Ukrainian courts. In 2018, criminal proceedings were opened against Portnov for treason. However, in 2019, Portnov stated on his Telegram that the Security Service of Ukraine had closed the criminal case against him, and published the relevant documents. In 2019, investigative journalists released recordings of conversations from the office of the notorious judge Pavlo Vovk. From the conversations on the tapes, journalists extrapolated that Portnov, together with Vovk and the then head of the President's Office, Andrii Bohdan, illegally influenced the dismissal of the head of the Constitutional Court, Stanislav Shevchuk. In April 2020, at the beginning of Iryna Venediktova's term as Prosecutor General, Portnov blackmailed her, saying that he had compromising information about her illegal activities. In the same year, Oleksandr Sokolov, then acting director of the State Bureau of Investigations, admitted that there were "influence groups" within law enforcement agencies that disclosed confidential information and important details of investigations to former officials, including Portnov. In December 2021, it became known that the US government had imposed sanctions against Andrii Portnov and his charitable foundation. Portnov was 51 years old. Background: Portnov was shot dead on 21 May 2025 outside the American School in Madrid's Pozuelo de Alarcón suburb, shortly after dropping off his children. Spanish police suspect the attack was meticulously planned, possibly by a professional assassin using a silenced pistol, with at least one accomplice and a prearranged escape route. No arrests have been made and motives under consideration include organised crime and political retribution. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pro-Russian public figure Portnov met with some Ukrainian top officials on eve of his murder
Andrii Portnov, a shadow handler of the Ukrainian court system and a lawyer close to the fugitive former president Yanukovych, visited Ukraine a few days before his murder in Madrid. There he met with Oleh Tatarov, Deputy Head of the President's Office of Ukraine, and Oleksii Sukhachov, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation. Source: Ukrainska Pravda article Without trial or investigation. What was Andrii Portnov doing on the eve of his murder? Details: Four independent sources confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that Portnov was in Ukraine on 17-18 May. It was also noted that Portnov had had meetings with top officials during those days. Quote from the article: "During this visit, Portnov met with top officials responsible for law enforcement, including Oleh Tatarov, Deputy Head of the President's Office, and Oleksii Sukhachov, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation." Details: Meanwhile, all of the sources stated that they did not know what topics were discussed at these meetings. For reference: Portnov was deputy head of the presidential administration under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2010-2014. He denied crimes committed by security forces against participants in the Revolution of Dignity in the winter of 2013-2014 and fled Ukraine. He returned in 2019 on the eve of the inauguration of newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Portnov was also considered an influential shadow handler of Ukrainian courts. In 2018, criminal proceedings were opened against Portnov for treason. However, in 2019, Portnov stated on his Telegram that the Security Service of Ukraine had closed the criminal case against him, and published the relevant documents. In 2019, investigative journalists released recordings of conversations from the office of the notorious judge Pavlo Vovk. From the conversations on the tapes, journalists extrapolated that Portnov, together with Vovk and the then head of the President's Office, Andrii Bohdan, illegally influenced the dismissal of the head of the Constitutional Court, Stanislav Shevchuk. In April 2020, at the beginning of Iryna Venediktova's term as Prosecutor General, Portnov blackmailed her, saying that he had compromising information about her illegal activities. In the same year, Oleksandr Sokolov, then acting director of the State Bureau of Investigations, admitted that there were "influence groups" within law enforcement agencies that disclosed confidential information and important details of investigations to former officials, including Portnov. In December 2021, it became known that the US government had imposed sanctions against Andrii Portnov and his charitable foundation. Portnov was 51 years old. Background: Portnov was shot dead on the morning of 21 May near an American school in Madrid, Spain. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov shot dead in Madrid ‘while taking his children to school'
The shooting was described as a 'professional hit' GUNNED DOWN Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov shot dead in Madrid 'while taking his children to school' A UKRAINIAN politician has been shot dead in Madrid while taking his daughter to school, according to reports. Andriy Portnov, 51, was gunned down on Wednesday morning outside the gates of the American School in Madrid's affluent neighbourhood of Pozuelo. Advertisement 1 Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov has been shot dead in Madrid Credit: Wikipedia Police received the call about the shooting at 9.15 am local time. Portnov was a senior aide to Ukraine's disgraced pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovich, who led the country from 2010 to 2014 before being ousted. He played a key role in the former president's election team before the 2010 victory - but fled Ukraine after 2014. Portnov's body was still at the scene almost two hours after the shooting, and will be only be removed following authorisation from a judge. Advertisement He is understood to have been shot five times as he dropped his daughter off at the school. It was reported in July 2022 Portnov had left Ukraine despite a travel ban for military-age males. It was not immediately clear how long he had been living in Spain. President Viktor Yanukovich, who also served as the country's prime minister several times, was ousted from power in 2014 following months of protests and the so-called Revolution of Dignity. Advertisement Since then, Yanukovich has lived in exile in Russia. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov shot dead in Madrid ‘while taking his children to school'
A UKRAINIAN politician has been shot dead in Madrid while taking his children to school, according to reports. Andriy Portnov, 51, was gunned down on Wednesday morning outside the gates of the American School in Madrid's affluent neighbourhood of Pozuelo. Advertisement 1 Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov has been shot dead in Madrid Credit: Wikipedia Police received the call about the shooting at 9.15 am local time. Portnov was a senior aide to Ukraine's disgraced pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovich, who led the country from 2010 to 2014 before being ousted. He played a key role in the former president's election team, heading up the legal department in the five years before the 2010 victory - but fled Ukraine after 2014. President Viktor Yanukovich, who also served as the country's prime minister several times, was ousted from power in 2014 following months of protests and the so-called Revolution of Dignity. Advertisement Since then, Yanukovich has lived in exile in Russia. Portnov's body was still at the scene almost two hours after the shooting, and will be only be removed following authorisation from a judge. He is understood to have been shot five times as he dropped his daughter off at the school. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Exclusive Like us on Facebook at
