Ex-president of Motor Sich company, suspected of collaborations with Russians, asks to be exchanged to Russia
Viacheslav Bohuslaiev, former head of the Motor Sich aircraft-engine company, suspected of collaboration and aiding the aggressor state, asked to be included in the list for exchange with Russia.
Source: Skhemy, a project by Radio Liberty, referring to a letter of application signed by Bohuslaiev and addressed to Andrii Yermak, the Head of the President's Office
Quote: "Please add me to the list for exchange with the Russian Federation."
Details: It is reported that the document contains his signature in addition to a note: "Bohuslaiev, pensioner and 1 group disabled."
The application was sent on 20 March.
Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, told Skhemy that Ukraine will continue to use all available tools to bring back its prisoners of war and illegally detained civilians from Russia. But he did not talk about any specific names, indicating that such comments are possible only after the exchange.
Mykhailo Podoliak, Advisor to the head of the President's Office, previously reported that he did not exclude the possibility of an exchange of Bohuslaiev, noting that this process could be similar to the exchange of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician whose daughter's godfather is Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was exchanged for 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war in September 2022.
Vasyl Maliuk, the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, did not rule out the possibility of exchanging Bohuslaiev, but added that first the suspect must give all the necessary evidence.
Bohuslaiev is charged with aiding the aggressor state, collaboration, promoting the activities of a terrorist organisation and countering the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now he is in jail by court order until 27 May. Bohuslaiev denies all charges.
Background:
- On 22 October, 2022, Ukrainska Pravda discovered that the Security Service of Ukraine had detained ex-MP Viacheslav Bohuslaiev and the honorary president of Motor Sich.
- On 23 October, 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine confirmed the detention of the president of Motor Sich JSC and the head of the Department of Foreign Economic Activities of this enterprise: they were suspected of collaboration and complicity with the aggressor state.
- According to the investigation, these officials acted in collusion with representatives of the Russian corporation Rostec, which is one of the main producers of weapons for the Russian armed forces associated with the Kremlin. The Russians have established transnational channels for the illegal supply of wholesale batches of Ukrainian aircraft engines to the aggressor country.
- In April, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced sanctions against ex-head of Motor Sich Viacheslav Bohuslaiev and the Russians.
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