A sign on the building of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv. Archival photoMOSCOW, May 25The Security Service of Ukraine summoned ex-Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, ex-Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov and former Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov for questioning as witnesses case of treason, the creation and financing of a terrorist organization. According to the information on the website of the Security Council of Ukraine, they were called on May 19. The subpoenas say that as witnesses in criminal proceedings «No. 22016130000000212 dated 09/19/2016».Poroshenko's lawyer called the publication of Medvedchuk's testimony a PR campaign by the SBU television channels a video recording of Medvedchuk’s testimony, in which he claims that he carried out illegal privatization of the oil pipeline and organized coal trade with the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics on the direct instructions of Poroshenko, who provided the support of the entire state apparatus in these matters. The lawyer of the ex-president Igor Golovan said that Medvedchuk's testimony was not true. In April, the Security Council of Ukraine announced the detention of the head of the political council of the Opposition Platform — For Life party, Medvedchuk, on behalf of Volodymyr Zelensky. and promotion of terrorism. According to the head of the SBU, in 2014 Medvedchuk organized the supply of coal from the territory of Donbas not controlled by Kyiv in collusion with the top leadership of Ukraine. Another case has been opened against Medvedchuk in Ukraine — the politician and his political ally Taras Kozak are suspected of treason and embezzlement of national resources in Crimea . Medvedchuk himself stated that he considers the criminal cases opened against him to be political persecution.
