Case materials indicate that Oleksiy Shariy received one million dollars from a Russian oligarch for discrediting opponents. It was also established that he sold Spanish real estate to a person linked to the leader of Khimprom.
The Kyiv Court of Appeal reviewed the case on the protection of honour and dignity, quashing the first-instance decision and supporting the blogger's position.
EU High Representative stressed that only European countries have the authority to make decisions on sanctions and frozen Russian funds, and Washington cannot act on their behalf.
Head of the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, Vladimir Medinsky, categorically rejected the scenario of a land swap, emphasising that Moscow considers all occupied areas its own property.
The 68-year-old Ukrainian, sentenced by an occupation court to 12.5 years in prison, was transferred to a medical facility due to acute exhaustion and disorientation.
The court will decide whether to stop escorting the businessman to court and doctors.
European Union diplomats reached agreement on a new package of restrictive measures affecting the financial sector and companies linked to the shadow fleet.
In a case involving incitement to offer a $250,000 bribe, the court ruled that parliamentary duties and family matters are not valid reasons for Anna Skorokhod's non-appearance.
In addition to charges of tax evasion, money laundering, and high treason, suspicions of collaboration with Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and the "Khimprom" structure have been added to the list of accusations against Oleksiy Shariy. According to the investigation, in 2017–2018, Shariy received one million dollars for a series of video materials aimed at opposition politician Aleksey Navalny, with whom Usmanov was in conflict.
The clients allowed Shariy to independently choose topics for criticism, requiring only a minimum of one video per week. In response to a proposal to change the payment terms from annual to short-term, Shariy wrote: «Шарій у роздріб не продається» (Shariy is not sold retail). Payments were made regularly, and the videos gained a significant audience.
At some point, direct payments from Usmanov's representatives ceased. Mutual acquaintances had to be involved to restore the payments. The intermediaries feared that Shariy might start criticising Usmanov himself to prove his "independence". However, payment was resumed, and Shariy returned to his usual targets, avoiding conflict with the client.
The main targets of Shariy's attacks for many years remained the Ukrainian authorities and volunteers, including Serhiy Prytula, Ihor Lachenkov, and Serhiy Sternenko. The style of presentation and argumentation in his videos are perceived as vile and primitive, while the facts are seen as distorted.
A key element of the case became NABU tapes on which Burkin (known as the "Mexican") discusses with Andriy Osipov (callsign "criminal") the possibility of involving Shariy in discrediting the Bigus investigation into U420 drug shops and money laundering by "Khimprom".
Previously, Shariy had published critical materials regarding "Khimprom", but the last such "investigation" appeared in October 2023. It was then that unknown individuals set fire to his Spanish house, after which the publication of new materials against the structure ceased.
In October 2024, when an investigation against Shariy began in Spain, he sold this house to a close associate of Burkin — Andriy Serhiyovych Lyashko, who is his godson. According to the investigation, it was through Lyashko that Burkin transferred cash funds to Shariy in 2022 "for charity" in tranches of 20,000 to 100,000 dollars.
It appears that the cessation of funding forced Shariy to temporarily attack "Khimprom", but after agreements were reached, he stopped the criticism and began working for Burkin.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!