MP Yuriy Bereza accuses Finbank of financing Oplot terrorist group
KYIV. July 30 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Some Ukrainian banks are financing terrorist groups in eastern Ukraine, People's Front MP, honorable commander of Dnipro-1 Battalion Yuriy Bereza has said.
"We unveiled a scheme through which banks are really financing terrorists. Judges who fulfill their tasks for money are also involved in the scheme. We have proof that public joint-stock company Finbank (Odesa) is affiliated with Zhylin who created the terrorist group, which is now making war in the east against Dnipro-1 Battalion. This bank, the owner of which is Hranovsky, finances Veltorh 2013 LLC. Funds are going through Kharkivspetsnadra and Ortia companies which belong to the leader of the Oplot group Yevhen Zhylin," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.
The lawmaker said that relations with banks that finance terrorists is not in line with Ukrainian law.
"Despite the inclusion of Oplot group in the list of terrorist organizations in December 2014 [on which U.S. sanctions are imposed] Finbank has not stopped financing it. The bank is to be punished," he said.
Bereza said that the Dnipro-1 Battalion security service has received proof of the illegal operation of the bank.
"This is the intelligence and protection service. All proofs for Finbank are the result of the investigation conducted in the past six months in cooperation with legal companies," he said.
He said that the relevant addresses have been sent to the National Bank of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the U.S. Embassy.
"U.S. institutions today are the most effective one in fighting the financing of terrorists. Ukraine cannot fight against terrorist without any help. Without the support of western partners we would not cope with this, especially with judges who protect terrorists," Bereza added.
He said that he hopes that the NBU would seriously react to this and stop these operations of Finbank.
"The bank would have serious international problems, as we're preparing an address to the U.S. Department of Justice. One of its founders contributes money in the territory of the United States. We want to involve U.S. agencies in the investigation so that the process is thorough and transparent," he said.
The lawmaker also said that his security service has information that another five Ukrainian banks are involved in financing terrorist groups.
"In September we will present several more scandalous cases. They all concern financial institutions. A total of five cases, and all are linked to former Ukrainian officials," Bereza said.