Quemado Institute
March 23, 2015
Igor Kolomoisky (–Jewish Business News)
Billionaire oligarch Igor Kolomoysky has raised the stakes on Ukraine infighting, going so far as to suggest that the “criminal government” in Kiev should allow independence for the Donbass Republics. Some call him a gangster, but (or maybe therefore) he has Western friends in high places. Should he wreak sufficient havoc, it could work in the favor of Novorossiya, and help advertise the failed status of the rogue regime in Kiev, which is unfit to govern any nation, much less an EU candidate. We post three articles below detailing frontline action in the “Ukraine Oligarch War”.
Jewish Billionaire Igor Kolomoisky Says Privatizing
Ukraine’s Assets Was Criminal
Jewish Business News
March 21, 2015
“Until we cleanse ourselves of the past, we won’t be able really change this country for the better,” Kolomoisky said.
Jewish billionaire businessman Igor Kolomoisky, one of the most powerful men in the Ukraine, is calling for nationalizing the country industrial assets, claiming that their privatization was a criminal conspiracy that robbed the state of billions of dollars, the Financial Times reported. “Until we cleanse ourselves of the past, we won’t be able really change this country for the better,” Kolomoisky said.
Yatsenyuk listens to Kolomoysky (–Kyiv Post)
Kolomoisky said the Ukraine should not apply for loans from the International Monetary Fund, before all its “illegally privatized” property is taken back by the state. “Ukraine is going around begging for money, and here is money that is due to the state. Return these enterprises, put them up for sale in an open tender and you will get 10 times more than you did” before, he said. Kolomoisky believes such auctions could raise tens of billions of dollars.
The IMF has promised the Ukraine a $17.5 billion rescue package, and is contemplating the restructuring of $15 billion in debt. The Ukraine’s deficit stands at $40 billion over the next four years. According to the Financial Times, Kolomoisky’s idea is a political bombshell, and not likely to be accepted without resistance by other tycoons, who have grabbed those state assets for a song 10 and 15 years ago. Indeed, his proposal is being criticized as his way of getting the upper hand over his billionaire rivals, positioning him for the next phase in the country’s political development. Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatseniuk expressed his concern regarding Kolomoisky’s idea, saying it could “open a Pandora’s box.”
Ukraine moguls Victor Pinchuk, Sergiy Taruta and Rinat Akhmetov talk business (–Kyiv Post)
The FT says Igor Kolomoisky and his partner Gennady Bogolyubov manage their assets through offshore companies. Kolomoisky is engaged in a multibillion-dollar legal battle over the ownership of a Ukrainian iron ore mine KZhRK, against rival Jewish billionaire Viktor Pinchuk in the High Court in London. Pinchuk gained his exorbitant wealth after his father-in-law, Leonid Kuchma, became president in 1994. He has donated a great deal of money to Bill Clinton’s and Tony Blair’s charities. Kolomoisky told the FT he plans to show evidence of the illegal acquisitions of state assets—-proof of collusion, bribery and tender rigging—-to Ukrainian prosecutors.
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Kolomoysky Seizes Ukrnafta in Kiev, Calls for Federalization,
[Favors] Novorossia, Ignores US Warning
by J. Hawk
Fort Russ
March 22, 2015
Kolomoysky’s militants seize Ukrnafta office in Kiev.
Kolomoysky’s militants (–Fort Russ)
Several news reports indicate that the headquarters of Ukrnafta, the country’s largest oil extraction company, was taken over by Dnepr-1 battalion militants financed by Kolomoysky. This move comes after a similar take-over on Thursday of Ukrtransnafta, an oil transit company. What makes the most recent event all the more galling is that the HQ of the state-owned Ukrnafta is located in the center of Kiev. Kolomoysky is only a minority shareholder in the enterprise. However, he was able to exercise de-facto control under rules which required 60% of shareholders’ approval for any reform to be implemented, until the Rada passed a bill which lowered that requirement to 50% + 1 share, which de-facto and de-jure returned control of Ukrnafta to the Ukrainian government.
(–Fort Russ)
Kolomoysky evidently decided to challenge that ruling by reportedly barricading himself inside the building and using Dnepr-1 battalion to deny access. Some of the militants were seen carrying automatic weapons and were supported by an armored truck. Most recent reports indicated Dnepr-1 was welding steel barriers in place to secure the building, and that pro-Maidan Rada Deputy and journalist Mustafa Nayyim was beaten by Dnepr-1 militants when he questioned them.
Just to make things more interesting, Kolomoysky called for recognizing DPR and LPR as the de-facto authorities in Eastern Ukraine [see article below], in an apparent bid to prevent a two-front war against both Kiev and Novorossia. At the same time, Kolomoysky called for “financial federalization” of Ukraine, under which 90% of tax revenue would never leave the regions. “Nationally conscious” Ukrainians don’t quite know what to make of all this yet–Kolomoysky was a hero to them, and here he is, turning his power to bear against the Ukrainian state.
Of course, all of this took place on Sunday. On Monday Poroshenko will have to decide what to do in response to Kolomoysky’s very busy day. Let’s not forget that in the Thursday showdown he was the first to blink, allowing Kolomoysky to retain control of Ukrtransnafta and only issuing a reprimand in response to his armed take-over of Ukrtransnafta.
US Ambassador Jeffrey Pyatt, “No Jungle Law!” (–Ukrainiannews.com)
Moreover, just recently US Ambassador to Ukraine Jeffrey Pyatt lectured Kolomoysky on the unacceptability of “jungle law” approaches to political problems (funny how that was not a problem during the Maidan, eh?), a warning which Kolomoysky clearly ignored.
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In the meantime, the junta is pretending nothing at all has happened. Minister of Interior Avakov insisted the folks in camouflage were part of a private security service hired by Ukrnafta, even though Ukrnafta representatives themselves were first to announce the gunmen were Dnepr-1. Incidentally, it’s unlikely a private security firm would be allowed to tote Kalashnikovs. Moreover, if this is not Dnepr-1 or some other Kolomoysky-funded organization, why is Kolomoysky himself clearly on the scene? Last seen having the above-mentioned Mustafa Nayyem (a staunch critic of Kolomoysky and a Maidan die-hard) taken away by a car?
Will Poroshenko back down again? Will Kolomoysky? Or will there be bloodshed in Kiev? And elsewhere?
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Kolomoysky Believes the LPR and DPR Exist and Their
Leaders Have Power
Ria Novosti
March 22, 2015
[Edited autotranslation by Quemado Institute]
Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky shortly after DPR/LPR elections (–Sergei Gritts nccnews.expresions.syr.edu)
“There are certain leaders, the people who govern the citizens, who continue to live somehow in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. There remain 1.5 to 2 million Ukrainian citizens [there]”, said businessman and governor of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Igor Kolomoisky.
KIEV/ The governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region and businessman Igor Kolomoisky said that the heads of the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR/LPR) Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky, despite how they’re treated in Kiev, are the real power [there]. At the meetings in the beginning of April, 2014, the inhabitants of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine did not recognize the legitimacy of the February coup in Kiev, and announced the creation of the “People’s Republics”, which after the referendums held in May, declared their sovereignty and later formed an alliance called “Novorossiya”. In Kiev, the DPR and LPR are not recognized.
Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov, DPR PM Alexander Zakharchenko, LPR PM Igor Plotnitsky, OSCE envoy Heidi Tagliavini, and former Ukraine president Leonid Kuchma, at Minsk 1.0 September 2014 (–www.khaleejtimes.com)
“But let’s look at the situation from the other side, from that of the DPR and LPR. There have been pseudo [elections], and Zaharchenko and Plotnitsky won. Today they have power there, seized, usurped, but it is power. Those who voted against them — there are no such people. All who could have gone, have left. I have no confidence that if we now hold elections under Ukrainian law, the people there would not vote for Zaharchenko and Plotnitsky,” Kolomoiskiy was quoted as saying by E.N.G. (TSN) Ukrainian TV channel “1 + 1”.
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Twitter Update: Kolomoisky Escalates Kiev Infighting
Quemado Institute
March 23, 2015
A reliable source tweeted today, March 23, at 17:00 UTC: “BREAKING—Denisenko, Kolomoiskiy’s ally, calls for a public rally in Dnepr against Poroshenko’s ‘criminal regime’.” Another source tweets back, “As I get it that MP of Poroshenko party is calling for a meeting against ‘Poroshenko regime’? WHAT?” The original source answers, “Yes—March 25th, 18:00, Public Rally in Dnepropetrovsk to carry out a vote of non-confidence in Poroshenko’s ‘criminal regime’.” Response: “So murdering, raping residents of donetsk by kolomoisky thugs = no crime, but putting iron bars on Ukrnafta DANGER!=))” Reply: “Yup! That’s how the Nazi mind works. Profit Über Alles. / KOLOMOISKIY POROSHENKO—Expect MORE MPs to quit Poroshenko’s Rada riffraff. Apparently all those close to Kolo[moysky] are due to make announcement.”
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Quemado Institute comments: There were reports that the current Kiev regime has hastily outlawed firearms for all private Ukrainian security services, including, if not targeted at, Kolomoysky’s own battalion. Firearms will be permitted only for official security services of the Ukrainian government. This was in an apparent attempt to retake Ukrnafta. We will update this report as stories emerge. Meanwhile, the Oligarch War heats up. The following two articles have Yatsenyuk and Poroshenko both in hot water:
Ukrainian Parliament May Check Yatsenyuk for Corruption
Sputnik
March 23, 2015
Last week, former Chairman of the Ukrainian State Financial Inspection Nikolai Gordienko, who was previously dismissed, issued a report in which he accused Yatsenyuk of concealing corruption schemes of the previous government.
Yatsenyuk (–rt.com)
MP Sergei Kaplin, a member of the largest faction in the Ukrainian parliament — “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” — suggested creating a special commission in Verkhovna Rada – Ukraine’s Parliament – to investigate the activities of the current Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who was accused of concealing corruption schemes. The relevant draft resolution was registered on Monday. The official text of the document has not yet been released on the website of the Parliament.
Yantsenyuk digests the news (–handthebankers.com)
Last week, former Chairman of the State Financial Inspection Nikolai Gordienko released a report in which he accused Yatsenyuk of concealing corruption schemes of the previous government. According to Gordienko, it is a matter of billions of dollars. Gordienko asked the General Prosecutor of Ukraine to investigate the case and suspend Yatsenyuk until the check-up is completed. Yatsenyuk’s party “People’s Front” has currently rejected all accusations brought.
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Ukraine MP Vitaliy Kupriy accuses Poroshenko of mass murders
of civilians in Novorossiya
by Vitaly Kupriy
Vitaly Kupriy’s Facebook Page
[Edited autotranslation by Quemado Institute]
March 23, 2015
My reaction to the statement of Valentine Nalyvaychenko implicating the management of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Administration in the SBU murder in Volnovakha, and to the interrogations that took place in the case, is as follows:
SBU (–williamrisch.wordpress.com)
Friday I personally attended the interrogation of Korban Oleynik and the SBU. There was no question raised at all the next day on Saturday, above the fact that the offense was committed. The interrogation was conducted by the SSU in violation of Articles 36 and 216 CCP to … Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine…. Murder, smuggling, kidnapping are serious enough crime charges which must be proven in court. I am outraged that Valentin Nalyvaychenko, within 2 days after the murder, presented the names of suspects, even without a proper investigation. In particular, my data is smuggling by the SBU, not by officials of local administrations.
I am convinced that Mr. Nalyvaychenko made a provocative statement at the request of President Poroshenko that actually destabilized the state power in the region. Knowing how to save the state, the management of the Dnipropetrovsk region, as it strongly fights the successors of the Yanukovych regime, are able to express their disagreement with Poroshenko’s decision.
Poroshenko (–Jewish Journal)
For my part, as a human rights activist, I see that President Poroshenko:
1. Does not fulfill his election promises on business sales – Lipetsk plant and Channel 5.
2. Entered into collusion with anti-State oligarchs and gave instructions not to investigate the crimes of the Yanukovych regime as a criminal organization.
3. Together with his […] – Chairman of the National Bank Gontareva amassed billions, causing instability of the monetary system.
4. Covered up unprofessional management of the General Staff and the SBU, and contributed to the death of our soldiers in the Donbas.
5. The agreement […] violated the international obligations of Ukraine, and the European Union suspended the process of ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, so as not to put himself behind bars for the mass murder of civilians in the Donbass.
6. Failed to reform law enforcement and taxation, and contributed to the adoption of anti-people budget reduction and social standards.
7. Delays establishment of an independent Anti-Corruption Bureau.
8. Unlawfully affects justice in high profile criminal cases. In the case of “Gongadze”, blocked the process of disclosing the case to allow collaborators to avoid penalties.
9. Blocked the rehabilitation of political prisoners of the Yanukovych regime and set a precedent of prosecuting peaceful protesters who criticize the government.
10. Supports the principle of “selective justice” and inactive cases in clear violation of [the rights of the] people.
Poroshenko still continues to deceive the Ukrainian people. For these reasons, I must remove myself from the Poroshenko Block in Parliament. I call upon all members of the MFP faction to share my opinion, join me, and set up a separate parliamentary group that, not by word but by deed, will enforce what was promised to the people in our election programs!
Update: Poroshenko Orders Kolomoisky’s Occupiers Arrested. Late Monday, Kiev regime leader Petro Poroshenko ordered the militants financed by his billionaire rival Igor Kolomoisky be arrested for blockading the UkrNafta building. The militant group, known as the Dnipro Battalion, reportedly has 2,000 standing fighters and 20,000 in reserve. How the Ukrainian Security forces (SBU) can “arrest” a battalion of this size without starting a war is not explained. International Business Times’ informative summary of events can be found at Poroshenko Orders Arrest Of Kolomoisky-Linked Militia Troops For Seizing State-Owned Oil Firm (Mar 24). For a highly detailed report of the same story see Concorde Capital article entitled Conflict between Poroshenko and Kolomoisky intensifies (Mar 24). [Concorde Capital is a leading investment company based in Ukraine.]
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Quemado Institute: For additional developments see our News From Novorossiya page.
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