Defendants in case, on imposition of sanctions against TV channels, related to supply of fuel for Russia-led forces in Donbas – Avakov
Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov said that propaganda activities in Ukraine were financed, among other things, from the "black cash" of the military situation in Donbas.
On the air of the Freedom of Speech program on ICTV on Friday evening, Avakov drew attention to the aggravation of the situation in recent days in eastern Ukraine. Answering the question whether the imposition of sanctions is connected with this aggravation, the minister said: "For me, this is all connected [...] Why do I say 'aggravation'? The truce had been held for a very long time [...] And what is happening in recent days? Four soldiers were killed by snipers. "
At the same time, Avakov said that the imposition of sanctions did not cancel criminal proceedings and trials.
"Where are the tens of millions of 'black cash' that were given to them [the employees of the TV channels against whom the sanctions were imposed], where are they from? And we understand where they come from. And I saw a number of classified materials that I cannot talk about. I saw the materials of the investigation, I am familiar with them, and some of the materials were investigated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. From these materials, it becomes clear that a number of our citizens have 'black cash', which they earn on the military situation and with this money, among other things, they finance propaganda activities. Can we put up with it? Is it possible to wait for the end of the investigation and launch an open trial? Not. According to the law, Ukraine has the right to defend itself, and we defended ourselves by imposing sanctions. And this does not cancel the criminal process and the trial," the Interior Minister said.
During his speech, Avakov had a dispute with Co-chairman of the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Yuriy Boiko, the minister said to the MP: "Yuriy Anatoliyovych, you would not want to have anything to do with the supply of fuel for Russia-led forces," to which Boiko retorted that he had nothing to do with this, and Avakov continued: "And we have reason to believe that a number of defendants [in case] had."
At the same time Avakov said: "And there will be more."