Shabunin family targeted with threats

An apparent homemade explosive device was found near
the apartment of the mother of Vitaliy Shabunin, the board chairman of the
Anti-Corruption Action Centre in Ukraine, the National Police reported on Dec.
30. The prior evening, law enforcement authorities received a report of a
device, consisting of a black box and two grenades, near the door of the
woman’s first floor apartment in a building in the city of Rivne. Then on Dec.
31, Shabunin reported on his Facebook page an apparent explosive device being
placed at the Kyiv apartment of his wife’s parents.

“The law enforcement system is incapable of providing
not even justice now, but the elementary safety of its citizens. Regardless of
who is behind this, it is certain in its own impunity. This certainty serves as
a guarantee for the incapability/corruptness/treason (your choice) of the
internal affairs minister, the prosecutor general, the head of the Security
Service of Ukraine and the judicial ranks. They altogether have not been able
to punish any of the orderers of attacks on activists. The situation is
analogous to thousands of cases of violence against Ukrainians,” Shabunin wrote
on his Facebook page on Dec. 31.

A criminal case for the offenses of making a death
threat and hooliganism has been opened by local prosecutors in Rivne, the
Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Dec. 31. Local investigators found the
grenades to be hollow and without explosive materials. A criminal case has also
been opened for the similar device planted at the residence of the parents of
Shabunin’s wife.

Recall, Shabunin’s suburban Kyiv residence was the
target of arson in late July, which
destroyed its roof and other parts. The Internal Affairs Ministry has yet to
find those responsible for the arson in the half year since, Shabunin wrote on
Dec. 31.

Zenon Zawada: We agree
with Shabunin’s assessment of these events, which are embarrassing for the
Zelensky administration. What’s especially disturbing is the threats are
continuing against Shabunin, without any concern or action from top officials.
It’s more evidence that President Zelensky (or his righthand man Andriy Yermak)
struck a deal with Russian-aligned forces and have full immunity to indulge in
their destructive politics, which are hostile to transparency and the rule of
law. And when they are impeded (in the case of Oleh Tatarov), they mount
a fierce resistance. Ukraine’s leading anti-corruption activists will remain
under threat for as long as Zelensky is president.