Bakanov blocking key investigation in Privatbank case, former top prosecutor says

Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Head Ivan Bakanov is
blocking a key investigation in one of the criminal cases being pursued by the
National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine on alleged money laundering from
Privatbank (PRBANK), former Prosecutor General Ruslan Riaboshapka said in a
column published on Apr. 23 on the pravda.com.ua news site. The preparation of
the criminal case, which is of exceptional importance for Ukraine, can be
quickly completed, he wrote. Yet the stalled investigation, which has been
blocked for several months, “saves the organizers of a billion-hryvnia scheme
from notices of suspicion” being issued by the Specialized Anti-Corruption
Prosecutor’s Office, he wrote. Riaboshapka served as prosecutor general under
President Zelensky between August 2019 and March 2020.

Zenon Zawada:
Riaboshapka’s accusation implies that Bakanov – President Zelensky’s lifelong
friend and perhaps closest ally in government – is serving the interests of
Ihor Kolomoisky, the billionaire who is widely acknowledged to be the main
sponsor of Zelensky’s presidential campaign.

This would also imply that Zelensky is willing to
reject Kolomoisky’s demands when it comes to matters critical to the national
interest (such as approving the bank resolution bill to ensure an IMF loan
program), but is willing to look the other way when it comes to Kolomoisky’s
interests that don’t directly threaten Ukrainian statehood.

These allegations confirm our view that Zelensky will remain loyal
to Kolomoisky in one way or another throughout his presidency, rejecting his
demands when they directly threaten statehood (as with the current stalling on the bank resolution bill),
but accommodating them when they don’t.