Kyiv deputy mayor arrested for assaulting traffic officer

A second deputy to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitshcko was
caught up in a scandal in the span of a week, this time for assaulting a police
officer during a traffic stop. Volodymyr Slonchak was the passenger in a car
the night of Apr. 26 when it was stopped by police for no headlights in central
Kyiv. Slonchak behaved belligerently towards the police officer, threatening
him, repeatedly cursing at him, and shoving him before eventually striking him.
He was immediately arrested, while the traffic officer was hospitalized with a
bruise to his face and concussion. The 35-year-old Slonchak had clear signs of
alcoholic intoxication and needed 14 stitches to his head, the police reported.

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko announced Slonchak’s dismissal
within hours of the incident, the video of which was posted on the Internet. “I
won’t allow the city government to be discredited, particularly by those who
represent it. I have said several times that no one is going to cover for
anyone. Volodymyr Slonchak is supposed to be held accountable by the law for
his actions, as with every citizen of Ukraine,” Klitschko said on Apr. 27. The
same day, a notice of suspicion was issued to Slonchak for assaulting a law
enforcement officer, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. He has
been placed under 24-hour house arrest.

Zenon Zawada: Slonchak is
the second deputy of the Kyiv city administration head (Klitschko) to have been
caught up in an embarrassing scandal in just the span of a week. On Apr. 22,
first deputy head Mykola Povoroznyk was placed on leave after being accused of accepting a bribe
from a construction contractor by the Security Service of Ukraine. While
Povoroznyk’s guilt is far from certain (a criminal case has yet to be opened),
Slonchak’s guilt is apparent.

Judging by current trends in the Zelensky
administration, Slonchak will likely avoid imprisonment in one way or another.
But finding employment shouldn’t be a problem as Slonchak is the head of the
supervisory board of Kyivmiskbud, the largest construction contractor in the
capital.

We don’t believe Slonchak’s embarrassing behavior
will affect Klitshcko’s re-election prospects in October, especially after the
mayor immediately dismissed him. Klitschko’s popularity is based on his local
infrastructure projects, which have drawn strong support despite all the
alleged corruption surrounding him.