A Pechersk district court judge in Kyiv denied on May
13 a prosecutor’s request to detain Victor Medvedchuk in jail under UAH 300
million bail. Instead, the judge ordered Medvedchuk to submit to 24-hour house
arrest until July 9. Medvedchuk is to surrender his passport and wear an
electronic bracelet. He told journalists that he will continue to work from
home in his capacity as MP and head of the Opposition Platform – for Life
political party.
James Hydzik: The
Ukrainian government crossed a Rubicon on May 11 by announcing that Medvedchuk
and his business partner Taras Kozak were formally suspected of treason. As
expected, the Russian government has claimed that this is an internal affair,
thus proving how far the godfather of Putin’s daughter has fallen in Russian
eyes. Thus the matter now rests with Ukraine’s justice system.