SBU averts actions to discredit President Poroshenko

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has averted actions aimed at discrediting President Petro Poroshenko which would have involved placing pickets at shops of the Roshen retail chain. These actions were ordered by former presidential administration head Andriy Kliuyev and former Verkhovna Rada deputy Volodymyr Oliynyk, SBU head Vasyl Hrytsak said.

"Andriy Kliuyev, Volodymyr Oliynyk [are] the organizers of the events to discredit Poroshenko," Hrytsak said, adding that these events were planned at Roshen outlets.

"Zinchenko and Kot, the leaders of the so-called Antimaidan," were involved in the organization of the pickets, he said.

The two men had involved several citizens of Ukraine "in the organization of events to discredit Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko," he said.

The action was called "candy riots in Roshen shops," Hrytsak said. The SBU head said the actions were planned in shops and at a factory.

Viktor Kononenko, the head of the SBU department for the protection of national statehood, said the actions were expected to involve people posing as veterans of the Donbas conflict. The issue of de-Communization was also expected to be used as a pretext for entering a Roshen factory.

"Actions were planned near various Roshen shops. The requirement was that people be in ATO [anti-terrorist operation] uniforms [...] We issued warnings [...] It was called de-Communization of Roshen, where 400 people were expected to come to the factory and tear down a Karl Marx bust, which was allegedly there. We averted that action," Kononenko said.