““(Umerov – ed.) is really interrogated… I cannot reveal his status. I can only say that he is not currently a suspect or an accused. Further, I will refrain from any comments, because it may harm the pre-trial investigation.””, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
“(Umerov – ed.) really questioned… Can’t reveal his status. I can only say that he is not currently a suspect or an accused. Further, I will refrain from any comments, because it may harm the pre-trial investigation,” Kryvonos is quoted as saying by the publication.
Before that, his press service informed the UP publication that the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council was interviewed by NABU. They stated that he testified as a witness in criminal proceedings opened on the fact of interference in the activities of a public figure.
The press service clarified that it happened on November 25. Umerov himself has not yet commented on the situation.
On November 11, the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Serhiy Savitskyi, said that Timur Mindych, the former business partner of President Volodymyr Zelensky for “Kvartal 95”, involved in the corruption case, had influence on the former Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko and on the former Minister of Defense Rustem Umyerov (who is now the secretary of the NSDC).
Reacting to this, Umerov stated: “Any attempts to connect my work in the Ministry of Defense with the “influence” of some persons are groundless.”
NABU and SAP consider Mindich to be the head of a criminal organization that organized “large-scale corruption schemes” in the energy sector. On November 10, NABU announced the disclosure of the activities of a criminal organization whose main activity was “systematic obtaining of illegal benefits from the counterparties of Energoatom in the amount of 10% to 15% of the value of contracts.” NABU claims that funds were legalized through a back office in the center of Kyiv, through which about 100 million dollars passed.
Mindych, who, according to law enforcement sources, left Ukraine shortly before the November 10 search, has not yet commented on the situation.
Suspects in the case were handed over to eight persons.