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Monday, November 19, 2007


More on Yukhym Zvyahilsky

Want to know more about the man who controls the Zasyadka Mine and who called in sick yesterday? Here’s a quote from "The Theft of the Truth," a 2001 article by Julian Evans published in New Statesman:


Zvyahilsky is an old political colleague of President Kuchma's, having briefly been prime minister in the mid-Nineties. When his political career ran off the road after he was said to have diverted somewhere between $40m and $250m of state funds into his own pocket, he avoided the hue and cry by emigrating to Israel for two years. The case against him was dropped for "lack of evidence", and he returned to Ukraine, where he became the mine chairman.

Some of the miners I spoke to said Zvyahilsky had agreed to pay back some of the allegedly stolen money, and that Kuchma forgave him. Other versions say that it was Kuchma himself who told him to leave the country for a few years, to allow things to settle down. It is said that he has acquired 60,000 hectares of prime Ukrainian farmland since his return. An informant who works in the agricultural sector has proof that Zvyahilsky owes 400,000 hryvna (£51,000) for seeds purchased for use on his farm.

There is no doubt that Zvyahilsky is a powerful man. At the offices of a Donetsk newspaper, I spoke to a journalist, who preferred not to be named. "Put it this way," he said, "in this region there are two clans. Mr Zvyahilsky is the head of one of them." He, too, was nervous of saying more. Would his newspaper publish anything negative about Zvyahilsky if it had proof? "No."
Zvyahilsky is indeed a powerful man. You can see his power here, here, and here. So how many more people have to die before we stop stabilnist?

Sources:

http://www.newstatesman.com/200111050020
http://photo.unian.net/eng/keywords/5113
http://wap.president.gov.ua/en/news/data/1_8627.html
http://blog.kievukraine.info/2005/07/yushchenko-visits-hostile-donetsk.html

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who gives this "француз" his power?

There was a lady in the new report who said that she would at least bite her husband's boss in the leg.

She's got the wrong guy.

And is it Yefim, or Yukhim?

That last picture of Yushchenko is Zvyahilsky is very, very curious, and very, very telling.

Look at Yushchenko's facial expression.

Yushchenko has previously stated publicly that he can't tell all that he knows.

So is this one of those things?

And why, exactly, would a newspaper be afraid to print a story about Yefim or Yukhim?

Will their power be shut off? Will journalists be killed or beat up? What's the story?

Taras said...

There are two versions of his name. Yukhym is Ukrainian; Yefim is Russian. And as for power, listen to these fine points from the President’s official website:

“I will spare no effort to help and develop the coal industry in Ukraine,” he promised.

Mr. Yushchenko said, unfortunately, the Zasyadko mine was “one of very few examples of how effectively a mine can work and launch energy projects.” He said this project showed that the coal industry “has great prospects.” The President also praised the improved safety rules at the mine.

What the hell is he talking about? Effectiveness in killing miners? Well, to be fair, it’s not just Yushchenko who couldn’t resist Zvyahilsky’s charms. Check out this gallery.

Anonymous said...

I say again ---

why, exactly, would a newspaper be afraid to print a story about Yefim or Yukhim?

Will their power be shut off? Will journalists be killed or beat up? Something else? What's the story?


PS Tymoshenko making a tour in her official capacity is not the same as kow-towing to the fat pig slimebag.

Kissing Raisa's hand is, of course, BS - the big fat pig can hardly bend in order to kiss her hand, she had to raise it up. And he's kissing her hand as a gesture of dominance, not as a gesture of respect.

Taras said...

Elmer,

The lady whose hand is being kissed is not MP Raisa Bohatyryova. That’s MP Oksana Bilozir of NUNS.

They all know how to kiss hands and how to extend them — when the moment is right. That’s what I call a shyrka moment. (I bet the smile on Yekhanurov’s face is worth a million dollars.)

Just take a look at the first picture in this gallery. What do you see?

The thing is, they’re all in it together. They all have power. The power of intimidation. The power of inaction. But nobody wants to take the power of responsibility.

No wonder so many people don’t feel like voting.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, it was a little hard for me to see in the picture (that it was not Raisa).


The power of intimidation exists only when people are willing to tolerate it.

I wonder how many more mine explosions and apartment explosions it will take?

Taras said...

You’re right, Elmer. It takes two to tango. And I, too, wonder how many more body bags it will take to bail Ukrainians out of this lethal tango.

Anonymous said...

Well, to Bilozir's credit it does look in the photo as if she is trying to get back her hand from the dude using her left hand.

And yep, hey are ALL in it unfortunately even the good ones as one must make deals, negotiate, rely on allies and alliances, dear friends, you name it ... in order to survive and stay in the game. The complete honest and un-corruptible are either sidelined to obscurity or never even get into office. And it is no place to suddenly develop a conscience or loose tongue - those things will get you only a hole in the ground after having been declared a suicide from multiple gun shot wounds.

Luida

Anonymous said...

Taras - There has (to my knowledge) never been any argument that Yushchenko in the wilderness years did try to court Akhmetov's favor and financial backing. This is pragmatism. But Akhmetov chose to back Yanukovych and Party of Regions. It does make for an interesting "what if?" and does fuel the speculation that Akhmetov's loyalty could swing but I do doubt it ever will as is shown in his attitude to Shaktar - win, lose or draw, that is the team that will be supported to the end because it is his.

Luida

Taras said...

Bilozir did what she did. As far as I can see, she was not held at gunpoint. She’s not a journalist, right?

And as for Yushchenko, those proselytizations went on after his wilderness years and well into his presidency. But I’m afraid that’s not what I elected him for. I didn’t elect him to make deals with moneychangers for personal or political benefit.

Three years ago, our President had enough converts in the Orange camp. He had enough power and support to do a much better job as President. But now that he’s lost most of his Orange converts, the grass is greener — or Bluer — on the other side.