New people involved in negotiations between Kyiv and Kremlin, however, peace is not on table

PHOTO: RUSSIAN BUSINESSMAN ROMAN ABRAMOVICH ON NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN DELEGATIONS OF RUSSIAN AND UKRAINE IN ISTANBUL (TÜRKIYE) ON 29 MARCH 2022. PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Since March 2022, negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv have been limited to prisoner of war exchanges and rare informal contacts with the participation of Roman Abramovich, a Russian businessman. However, other unexpected people have recently joined the communication process between Ukraine and Russia. 

Source: Latvia-based Russian independent outlet Meduza citing its sources

Quote from Meduza: "Since recently, another person from Abramovich’s circle has joined the negotiation process – Sergey Kapkov, former head of the Department of Culture in Moscow. For instance, he has recently been in Kyiv and Istanbul as per the instruction of Abramovich."

Details: Meduza has pointed out that Kapkov has old work relations with Abramovich – he was his deputy in the 2000s when Abramovich was the governor of Chukotka. 

It is reported that Abramovich engaged Kapkov in the dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow because he considers him to be a "sane person" who is, in addition, not under any sanctions and can freely travel. 

In particular, Kapkov can enter Ukraine, same as before. He received Israeli citizenship in addition to his Russian one a little less than a year ago.

Sources of Meduza that are familiar with the course of negotiations have said that Kapkov takes part not only in prisoner exchanges but in "separate industrial things". For instance, in discussing the Black Sea Grain Initiative. 

Kapkov performs "a simple function" of coordination with the Russian side. 

Meduza has revealed that it is Abramovich who calls Russian dictator Putin or Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu if necessary. And Kapkov takes care of calling generals, since "there are connections and everyone knows everyone", as Ukrainian and Russian military servicemen hardly communicate directly.  

Assistants of Abramovich also carry out some technical tasks – they take care of preparation documents, analytics that will then be voiced in the negotiation process directly.

In addition, Abramovich also involved David Davidovich in the negotiations earlier. Davidovich is his old business partner and Deputy Director General of the Millhouse Ltd. (it is affiliated with Millhouse LLC, owned by Abramovich and manages his assets). 

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, another old friend of Abramovich was participating in the negotiations – Alexander Voloshin. He is a former head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation (1999-2003) and the current head of the board of directors of the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo. 

He has supposedly communicated with the Ukrainian government only by phone. He has allegedly called Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People faction, who was part of an official negotiation delegation from Ukraine.

Another participant of the negotiation process was Oleksandr Rodnianskyi, Russian-Ukrainian film producer and a close friend of Abramovich. Rodnianskyi said in his interview in January 2023 that Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, called him on the day of the full-scale invasion and offered to link him with Abramovich trying to "achieve a fast peace solution".

Meduza has pointed out that Ukraine has not confirmed this information. 

It is also noted that Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to Yermak, has refused to comment on the role of Kapkov, Davidovich, Voloshin and Rodnianskyi in negotiations. Moreover, Kapkov and representatives of Abramovich have not replied to Meduza’s questions, as well.

Meduza has information that Abramovich is still informally in touch with representatives of both sides and "gives all his time to matters related to prisoner exchanges".

Nevertheless, the same sources have stated that after Bucha, the negotiation process is only about prisoner exchanges and separate questions, such as the Grain Initiative, and "there is no political component"; full peaceful settlement is not on the table in the negotiation process in 2023.

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