ANALYSIS: ‘This Crime Has Many Accomplices’ – Poroshenko Says After Hit by Sanctions

A political scandal is brewing under the dome of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s legislature.

Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s president from 2014 to 2019 who now leads the opposition European Solidarity party may face a six-month expulsion from all plenary sessions, and more seriously, on Feb. 12, he was placed under government sanction and accused of treason.

This decision has sparked outrage among some Ukrainians – not only among supporters of the former president but also among those concerned about government pressure on the opposition ahead of possible elections, which are being discussed with increasing frequency.

Kyiv Post has examined the situation to assess what is happening and whether it poses a threat to Ukraine’s stability and democratic process.

Background

The democratic process in Ukraine, which has made significant progress since 1991, has withstood two revolutions – one of which was the Euromaidan of 2013-2014. This movement prevented a pro-Russian dictatorship from consolidating power, set Ukrainians on the path to freedom, helped them break away from Soviet totalitarianism, and integrated them into the community of self-governing nations.

Ukraine is now facing another looming crisis.

However, the highly complex discussions surrounding possible peace talks and the Trump administration’s controversial statements – especially those urging that elections be held in Ukraine as soon as possible, even during wartime – have intensified internal political tensions and infighting.

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Exchange of obscenities

On Jan. 30, the Parliamentary Committee on Rules of Procedure and Parliamentary Ethics voted to submit a resolution to exclude Poroshenko from all Verkhovna Rada meetings for one session. This followed a heated disagreement with Bohdan Yaremenko, a deputy from the president’s Servant of the People party.

While the suspension seems to be an insignificant punishment, it has potentially major implications.

Oleksiy Honcharenko, a European Solidarity deputy and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), told Kyiv Post:

“This is very cynical because, in our country, one session can last an entire half-year. It is postponed from one day to the next, and so on. In effect, we are talking about a de facto ban on speaking in parliament and participating in its work for six months.”

Rumors quickly spread about what happened. According to several accounts, Poroshenko directed an obscene middle-finger gesture toward Yaremenko.

Yaremenko waited several days before confirming and responding to the incident using a series of colorful epithets toward Poroshenko which referenced his oligarchical past.

Yaremenko said: “This whole story is not about politics or ethics, but about a billionaire swindler who thinks he can do anything. Maybe he can refer to the genitals of his driver, press secretary, PR people, or party members wherever he wants. They are on his payroll, so if they tolerate it, that’s their business. But he can’t do it with me. If he only supports the party to distract from scandals surrounding his arrogance and rudeness, I can survive being insulted by him a few more times.”

Poroshenko’s supporters reacted strongly while Honcharenko said that even if Poroshenko insulted Yaremenko, it did not happen during an official parliamentary session.

“I wasn’t there, I don’t know for sure, but even if it happened - it was not a speech from the podium, not during a law discussion, or while addressing state affairs. It was a personal conversation. The Rada has more than 400 deputies in the hall, they walk around between readings and talk to each other - what’s so unusual about that?” Honcharenko argues, seeing the ruling party’s move as an attempt to disrupt the opposition.

At first, it seemed like a quarrel between two deputies. However, late in the evening on Feb. 12, it became clear that the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine had added Petro Poroshenko to the sanctions list together with oligarch Ihor Kolomoysky and three other businessmen.

This decision entails the blocking of assets, the revocation of awards, and numerous other restrictions on economic activity, which is critical for Poroshenko as a businessman and volunteer.

As the owner of Roshen, Ukraine’s largest confectionary manufacturing group, Poroshenko, in less adversarial times, was more affectionately called the “Chocolate King.”

Political Persecution?

The committee’s decision was based on a proposal by Mykyta Poturayev, a member of the Servant of the People party. The majority vote to expel Poroshenko was made by members of the Servant of the People supported by two prior members of the Party of the Regions, formerly led by the deposed Viktor Yanukovych.

Poroshenko’s supporters categorize this as an “unpleasant alliance” between Zelensky’s people and figures from Yanukovych’s past. Meanwhile, government supporters argue that it is simply a disciplinary measure as MPs, even former presidents, should behave more appropriately.

Political analyst and commentator Volodymyr Fesenko believes that the “Servants” wanted to put Poroshenko “in his place,” but doubts any real restrictions will be implemented. So far, it is Poroshenko who seems to be the one benefiting politically.

Fesenko says: “From a political standpoint, this is not just short-sighted – it’s foolish. All these little dirty tricks they pull on Poroshenko, whether it’s preventing him from traveling abroad or this current scandal, only strengthen his image and play into his hands.”

However, deputies from European Solidarity see things differently.

“It may seem like a political advantage now, but if he’s removed from the podium for six months, it will be a real political problem. Over that time, it could significantly impact the situation,” Honcharenko warns.

However, when it comes to sanctions, the situation is far more serious. Poroshenko directly called the decision a crime and added that he was aware of the planned move.

“Sanctions against the opposition leader... with absolutely illegal restrictions. This crime has many accomplices: Zelensky’s entire team, the Cabinet of Ministers, which was bent on an absurd idea, and members of his National Security and Defense Council,” Poroshenko said.

President Zelensky, however, offered a different perspective. According to him, Poroshenko “destroyed Ukraine’s security system.”

“Everyone who undermined Ukraine’s national security and aided Russia must be held accountable,” said Zelensky. “Billions that were actually earned by selling out Ukraine, its interests, and its security should be blocked and used to protect Ukraine and its people. This will be mandatory.”

Elections and Hatred

The reaction from Ukrainians was swift. Some believe that Poroshenko should take responsibility for his past mistakes. However, the majority of social media users reacted negatively to the sanctions, arguing that such a move during wartime damages Ukraine’s image as a democratic state.

Historian Viktor Datsko, the editor of the Facebook page History Without Myths, said: “This looks more like a personal vendetta and an emotional decision. Poroshenko? Yes, he’s not perfect, and he sometimes says and does foolish things, but how much has he personally contributed to supporting the front? How many meetings has he held with Western partners to maintain sanctions unity and bipartisan support from the US? Instead of focusing on winning the war, we are opening a second, internal front. Instead of consolidating the people and preserving unity, we are handing the enemy a tool for division and discord.”

According to investigative journalist Yuriy Nikolov, Zelensky is attacking the opposition primarily because, under pressure from Trump and Ukraine’s potential inclination toward an unfavorable peace deal, the prospect of elections is becoming inevitable – along with the government’s desire to maintain control.

Some analysts say that it looks a little like what Yanukovych did in 2011 when he persecuted opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Even though her ratings had declined, she remained the leader of a major opposition force in the Verkhovna Rada.

Political analyst Oleg Posternak suggests that Zelensky is deliberately boosting Poroshenko’s popularity as an opposition leader – hoping that Poroshenko will be a more favorable rival in elections than Valery Zaluzhny, who Zelensky could lose to.

“Sanctions against Poroshenko are part of a strategy. He has become a pivotal figure in the hands of the authorities,” said Posternak. “The minimum goal? To propel Poroshenko back into the political spotlight, positioning him as the main opponent of Zelensky’s anti-electorate. This way, Zaluzhny won’t be able to expand his influence at Poroshenko’s expense.”

Still, the reason could be much more straightforward. Poroshenko himself called the sanctions a “blow to the unity of Ukrainian politics.” However, this statement is also a political one – because political unity has been absent since the summer of 2022.

Additionally, insults flow in both directions. Supporters of Poroshenko frequently use derogatory terms for Zelensky and his team on social media such as: “Ze-shobla” (Zelensky’s Swarm), “Zelebobyki” (Zelensky’s lapdogs), “Zebily” (a portmanteau of “Zelensky” and “imbeciles”), “Green degenerates,” and more.

“I don’t see this as systematic persecution like during Yanukovych’s time – Zelensky doesn’t have nearly as much control over the country as Yanukovych did,” said Fesenko. “Instead, I see it as a manifestation of deep-seated mutual hatred that has persisted since 2019 and has not been extinguished by war. Yes, some ‘Servants’ and ‘European Solidarity’ members cooperate well, but in general, this is how things are. Unfortunately for Ukraine, even a full-scale war hasn’t changed that.”

Despite the committee’s decision on Jan.30, the Verkhovna Rada has yet to submit a resolution on the Poroshenko case. Representatives from both parties say there are no signs it will be introduced soon. Even if it is, there are no guarantees it will pass. Perhaps both sides still recognize certain boundaries of what is permissible.

Poroshenko remains the leader of his party in the Verkhovna Rada, and on Thursday, Feb. 13, his party blocked the parliamentary rostrum. This suggests that, alongside the challenging external front, an internal political confrontation is emerging in Ukraine, potentially triggering a political crisis.