Poroshenko’s allies hit with searches in “Donbas coal” case

That’s according to the SBI press service, Ukrinform reports.

The agency said its investigators, in cooperation with the SBU security service and under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, are investigating a criminal scheme of coal supply from the temporarily occupied territories and assistance to terrorist organizations.

As part of the inquiry, formal charges have already been pressed against the two legislators, including the fifth president of Ukraine, as well as the former energy minister and another person who holds no government position.

The statement says warranted searches kicked off December 29, in hope to retrieve documents relevant to criminal proceedings."

The SBI says its officials operate exclusively within the limits and in the manner prescribed by law.

The statement came following a report by Petro Poroshenko’s political force, voiced by MP Iryna Herashchenko, that searches had been held December 29 targeting two of their party members, MPs Yuriy Onishchenko and Serhiy Berezenko.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on December 20, Acting Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko signed off formal charges against former President Petro Poroshenko in the case that is probing coal supplies from the occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to the SBI, Poroshenko is suspected of assisting the “LPR” and “DPR” terrorist organizations in conspiracy with other individuals, including Russia’s senior officials.

The inquiry alleges that the purchase of coal in the occupied areas put Ukraine’s energy sector into dependence on Russia and terrorist organizations, which, in turn, undermined the country’s economic security in 2014-2015, deprived it of opportunities for diversification of energy sources, and provided Russia with a wider range of options for further meddling and sabotage.

The criminal proceeding has been formally initiated under a number of Criminal Code articles, including financing terrorism, high treason, and assisting a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors demand that Petro Poroshenko be held in custody pending the inquiry, setting bail at UAH 1 billion (nearly $1 billion).

The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv has issued a warrant to bring Poroshenko before the Court.

At the moment, the ex-president is out of Ukraine.

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