Why Was Viktor Medvedchuk Arrested? Putin's Closest Ally Nabbed By Police While Family Stays Worried

Viktor Medvechuk was arrested in Ukraine because of his close alliance with President Vladimir Putin. Medvedchuk was pictured several times with Putin and also President Putin to be a personal friend.

Ukraine's security service SBU published a photo purporting to show Mr. Medvedchuk in handcuffs and wearing Ukrainian military fatigues.

Pres. Zelensky wrote on his Instagram that Viktor Medvechuk, Putin's (former?) man in Ukraine, was arrested during a special SBU operation. This is him, a shadow of his powerful self, handcuffed and, oddly, in an Ukrainian uniform. I thought he was already in Russia or Belarus. pic.twitter.com/lwRLVDOhj5

— Monica Ellena (@monicaellena) April 12, 2022

He was previously placed under house arrest in the Ukrainian city of Kyiv on accusations of treason. But, he fled shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Zelensky offered to trade Mr. Medvedchuk for Ukrainian "youth and girls who are presently in Russian captivity."

Russia on the other hand stated on Tuesday that it was investigating the alleged detention. Dmitry Peskov, Mr. Putin's spokesperson, stated that this was due to "so many fakes currently arriving from Ukraine" that "now everything needs to be examined."

Medvedchuk, who was born in Russia, was the chief of staff to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma from 2002 until 2005.

He was an opponent of Kuchma's pro-Western successor, Viktor Yushchenko. And also a close collaborator of Ukraine's last pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being deposed in a popular revolt in 2014.

For years, he was tolerated in Ukrainian political circles because he was viewed as a vital line of contact with the Kremlin.

According to ca. news, Medvedchuk also served as a go-between for Russian-backed rebels who took control of eastern Ukraine. During the conflict with Russia in eastern Ukraine in 2014, he participated in peace talks, notably as a member of Ukraine's negotiating team for a prisoner exchange.

Medvedchuk, according to Ukrainian officials, was involved in the unlawful selling of coal from separatist-controlled territory in Ukraine's east. Last year, Ukraine nationalized an oil pipeline owned by Medvedchuk and shut down many television stations linked with him in the media.

The court also handed over Medvedchuk's detained boat "Royal Romance" to the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, as per Odessajournal.

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Viktor Medvedchuk is married to three of his wifes Marina Lebedeva, Natalya Gavrilyuk, and Oksana Marchenko. He lives with a family of four including his partner and two daughters.

While he is divorced from his wife Lebedeva and Gavrilyuk, he is still married to Marchenko. She is a former Ukrainian TV presenter.

Medvedchuk and his wife are reported to be the godparents of Mr. Putin and Svetlana Medvedeva, the wife of Dmitry Medvedev, the Security Council's deputy chairman.

Marchenko owns two businesses in Crimea: "Tavria-Invest" LLC and "Ukrsnab Firm" LLC. These are not included in the Ukrainian legal company registration.

However, it became obvious through Russian documentation that these firms were registered in Crimea after Russia annexed the peninsula.

Marchenko went to Moscow on February 22, only days before Russia attacked Ukraine. She encountered Nikolai Baskov there, with whom she taped a fresh interview for her project.

They talked about faith in the film, and how Marchenko did not flee Ukraine but came particularly to see Nikolai. Baskov attempted to appeal to his Ukrainian heritage, although Marchenko frequently complained about the hatred in Ukraine as a result of her pro-Russian stance.

It is unknown where Medvedchuk's wife is currently. According to media reports, she is most likely in Moscow or has traveled to Belarus.

Viktor Medvedchuk has two daughters Daryna and Irina Medvedchuk as of now. Among them, Daryna is from his present wife Oksana Marchenko, who was born in 2004.

While Irina is from his second wife, Gavrilyuk, and she was born in 1982.

#PutinPuppet and #TrumpCampaign manager #PaulManafort worked with Russian spy #ViktorMedvechuk to undermine #Ukraine's desire to be independent of #Russia. Yesterday Ukraine arrested Medvechuk.https://t.co/hYhsA90ycm

— SortingThruDaNoiz (@ThruNoiz) April 13, 2022

Their eldest daughter is 39 years old while his youngest daughter is 17 years old. The couple considered, Daryna as their godfather.

Oksana Marchenko has stated in several interviews that she selected Vladimir Putin as her daughter's godfather since he is an Orthodox believer and a great person.

She said that Putin is a fantastic godfather who speaks with his goddaughter Daryna on a daily basis.

However, the family has kept their children's life away from personal media and maintained their privacy.