Probe launched into members of Ukrainian elite fleeing after Russia’s war began

While Ukraine and its civilians and armed forces life through the bloody, brutal war unleashed by Russia and Ukrainians continue to defend their country, certain members of the Ukrainian elite find themselves in luxury houses in the south of France.

According to an investigation by Ukrayinska Pravda published on August 17, Ukrainian oligarch Kostyantyn Zhivago is vacationing on his luxury yacht near the shores of Monaco. Interpol has, at the request of Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation, announced he is the subject of an Interpol search.

Back in September 2019  a suspicion notice was issued to Kostyantyn Zhivago in absentia. He, as the former owner of Bank Finance and Credit JSC, was suspected of organizing the embezzlement of $113 million dollars from this financial institution.

Ihor Surkis is a Ukrainian oligarch best known for being an owner and President of Dynamo Kyiv since 2002, his brother, ex-MP Hryhoriy Surkis, used to be the head of the Football Federation of Ukraine and likes to play in the Monaco casino.

And former MPs and civil servants jog on the streets of Cap Ferrat (the most expensive district in the south of France) near their luxury homes.

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is currently investigating Ukrainian people’s deputies and oligarchs who fled after the start of the war in Ukraine. There are 84 people on the list, including people’s deputies Abramovich, Surkis, Stolar, businessmen Ermolaev, Vyazmikins, and many others.

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The proceedings were opened on August 17 on the grounds of a criminal offense under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code, namely “Illegal transfer of persons across the state border of Ukraine.”

As part of the investigation, the defendants will be checked for the organization and the use of their official position for illegal transportation across the border.

A people’s deputy from the Servant of the People, Maryana Bezuhla, filed an appeal on August 18 to Parliament regarding the early revocation of the powers of people’s deputies Vadim Stolar, Ihor Abramovich, and Hryhoriy Surkis, who left Ukraine before the full-scale invasion of Russia and did not take part in parliamentary work.

A few days before the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 20 People’s Deputies left Ukraine, primarily from the now banned pro-Russian Opposition Platform – For Life party led by Viktor Medvedchuk, and just a few returned to Ukraine. Ten pro-Russian parties have already been banned in Ukraine, and seven more find themselves in the process of being banned.