Volodymyr Zelensky also warned that these would not be “the last such decisions”.
Kyiv:
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday he has revoked the citizenship of Viktor Medvedchuk, who was once seen as a top aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Kyiv and accused of high treason.
Zelensky said in his daily address that Medvedchuk, a former Ukrainian lawmaker who was handed over to Russia in a prisoner exchange last September, had been stripped of his citizenship.
Based on materials prepared by the Security and State Migration Services of Ukraine and in accordance with the constitution, “I have decided to terminate the citizenship of four people,” Zelensky said.
He said the action was appropriate for those who “choose to serve not the people of Ukraine, but murderers who came to Ukraine”.
Zelensky also warned that these would not be “the last such decisions”.
Medvedchuk was one of more than 50 prisoners handed over to Russia in September in exchange for 215 Ukrainian captured soldiers.
The swap was the largest exchange between the warring sides since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The Ukrainian tycoon was captured by Ukraine’s special services in April last year after fleeing home when Russia invaded.
The super-rich powerbroker – who was once dubbed the “Dark Prince” of Ukrainian politics – was accused of high treason and stealing natural resources from Russia-annexed Crimea and handing over Ukrainian military secrets to Moscow.
Others to lose their Ukrainian citizenship include Andrey Dirkach – an alleged Russian agent and wealthy former member of the Ukraine parliament.
In June Derkach was accused by the Ukrainian government of aiding an invasion of Russia and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The US Justice Department has said that Derkach also participated in an effort to discredit President Joe Biden over his son Hunter Biden’s Ukraine ties.
Another who lost his Ukrainian citizenship, Taras Kozak, has been accused by the United States of being involved in operations by Russia’s FSB intelligence service to undermine the Ukrainian government and economy.
Renat Kuzmin, a Ukrainian politician suspected of ties to Russia, was the fourth person Zelensky said would be stripped of his citizenship.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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