Russia places Zelensky and Poroshenko on its wanted list

By Romegas

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has put Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the wanted list for criminal charges. In Russia, Zelensky was accused of organizing attacks on Crimea, resuscitating Nazism, and shelling Russian border regions. Rumours are rife in Russia, that there is evidence that the  Ukrainian leadership was involved in the recent terrorist attack in Crocus City hall. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also put ex-President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on the wanted list. Why is this happening now and what are the legal consequences of the decision?

Last Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs put Zelensky on the wanted list, as evidenced by data from the department’s database. The card indicates the place of birth of the wanted person – Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk region of Ukraine. It also says that he is “wanted under an article of the Criminal Code,” but it does not specify under which one.

Following Zelensky, ex-President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, who led the country from 2014 to 2019, and the commander of the ground forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Alexander Pavlyuk, were also put on the wanted list. Poroshenko’s birth card indicates the city of Bolgrad, Odessa region of Ukraine. It is also not indicated under what article the criminal case was brought against him.

Earlier this week, the chairman of the Crimean Interethnic Mission, Zaur Smirnov, called for a case to be opened against Zelensky for organizing attacks on Crimea and “reanimating Nazism in Ukraine.”

The day before, cards appeared in the search database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Alexander Litvinenko, the ex-head of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine Alexander Shlapak and the ex-head of the National Bank of Ukraine Stepan Kubiva. Rada deputies, the ex-prosecutor general and Ukrainian TV presenters, including the propagandist Dmitry Gordon, are already on the wanted list.

In August last year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had already put three Ukrainian generals on the criminal wanted list, including Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yevgeny Moisyuk, accused of shelling Donbass, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of more than a hundred people. The Ministry of Internal Affairs database contains a card of the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, who after his resignation was appointed Ambassador of Ukraine in London.

Among the leaders of countries against whom the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a criminal case, the first was Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas, which became known in February of this year. A whole group of high-ranking officials from the Baltic countries are wanted, including the Latvian Minister of Justice Inese Libinya-Egnere, the Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop, the head of the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture Simonas Kairis and deputies of the Latvian Seimas. All of them are involved in the case of outrage against historical memory and the destruction of Soviet monuments. The list is sure to expand.

Russian pundits are confident that one of the main reasons for putting Zelensky on the wanted list is the terror of the civilian population.

“Zelensky should have been put on the wanted list for a long time – ever since it became clear that he was violating all the rules of war and committing crimes against humanity.

The decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs creates a legal basis for the future arrest of Zelensky and, possibly, a Nuremberg-type tribunal, which will take place in Lugansk or Donetsk” – Said Vladimir Skachko, a Kyiv political scientist.

The expert emphasized that during military operations, the Ukrainian Armed Forces “illegally exceed their powers and use terror against civilians.” “There are rules of war, and there is a war against civilians –  all these are acts of terror. Zelensky is the main one who gives orders to carry out such actions; accordingly, he is responsible for everything that his troops do”.

Zelensky has never ordered a stop to terror against civilians. “On the contrary, there was boasting, promises to intensify shelling of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh and Rostov regions, civilian neighbourhoods of Donetsk and Lugansk”

Alexander Perendzhiev, associate professor of the department of political analysis and socio-psychological processes of the Russian University of Economics is convinced that Zelensky will be accused not only of violating the laws of war, but also be a defendant in the case of the terrorist attack in the Russian Crocus City Hall on March 22.

“Zelensky is wanted right now because, most likely, evidence has emerged that clearly shows his involvement in this terrorist attack,”

Perhaps – but having followed politics in Russia for the past eighteen years – I think that these experts, with all respect due to them, miss the main point of why Russia chose to put the current president and the former one on its wanted list – NOW.

Putting Zelensky on the wanted list could not have happened without clearance from the very top.

In my opinion this is a clear signal to the West that Russia is now past the point of any Western hopes of negotiating anything with the current regime. Not only is there the fact that Zelensky is now a de facto and de jure dictator (his constitutional term ran out and he has suspended elections indefinitely) who in Russia’s eyes no longer can claim legitimacy in representing the Ukraine, but by declaring him as a wanted criminal this closes any opportunity of negotiating with him or any senior member of this regime, be they one who represented in the past (Poroshenko) or the present.

Perhaps people raised an eyebrow when I said a few weeks ago – that Russia intends to hold people who have encouraged the carnage in Ukraine to account be it in person or in absentia and be they Ukrainians or otherwise. Those condemned in absentia will not be deported, but will spend the rest of their lives looking over their backs living in fear of Russian retribution. Anyone captured faces an unenviable future.

I had stated that Russians are extremely legalistic – and as always happens, it is the victors that will eventually dispense justice. I had stated that Russia is already collating vast amounts of documentation for when they envisage the time right. Judging by their placement of both Zelensky and Poroshenko as well as a host of Western personalities on their list – they must be thinking that time is closer than anyone in the West thinks.

Yes, when Russia wins this war – it’s not a matter of if but when – Russia will indeed hold Nurenberg-style trials – and lots of people in Ukraine as well as the West will be as now watching their backs, not least the now illegitimate president of Ukraine.