Prokopiv claims charges against him politically motivated
Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration Volodymyr Prokopiv states that the charges brought against him by law enforcement officials are politically motivated, about persecution of the opposition and "cleansing of local self-government in the capital."
"In the first days of the full-scale invasion, in February 2022, someone had to take responsibility for the life of the capital. And I took this responsibility upon myself. Three years have passed. Kyiv has survived and is alive. Today, I was handed a suspicion notice on an absurd charge that I illegally transported conscripts abroad. Have no doubt that this is a purely political case, as part of the persecution of the opposition and the purge of local government in the capital," reads a message posted on his Facebook page.
Prokopiv points out that after the start of the full-scale invasion, he was authorized by the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration to "respond and ensure food security with essential goods, humanitarian aid, and medicines."
"The order of the Kyiv City Civil-Military Administration regulated access to the Shliakh system and assigned me the responsibility of entering data into the electronic database. I used to work around the clock directly with volunteer organizations, medical institutions, military units and forces of the territorial communities. As a result, we brought in thousands of tonnes of humanitarian aid, hundreds of vehicles for the needs of the armed forces, tens of tonnes of medicine. And now I am accused of assisting in the illegal crossing of the state border by military-liable men in order to evade military conscription. It’s about two truck drivers who did not return at some time frame," he noted.
Prokopiv directly links these accusations to the “systemic persecution” of the opposition, as well as to an attempt to “purge local government,” which, in his opinion, indicates “preparation for elections.”
"Why is this happening right now? In addition to the systematic persecution of European Solidarity, there is also an attempt to purge local government in Kyiv and take control of the Kyiv City Council by electing a secretary loyal to the President’s Office, who is supposed to counteract the elected mayor Klitschko. And you say that no preparations are being made for the elections ... Some people are fighting for Ukraine, while others are fighting for power in Ukraine, absolute power, not shunning any methods," he emphasized.
As reported, the Kyiv police and the SBU have informed the deputy chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration of the suspicion of organizing a scheme to transport conscripts across the state border of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine report. According to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, this is about Kyiv mayor Volodymyr Klitschko’s deputy, Volodymyr Prokopiv. According to the National Police, at the direction of the defendant, from May to June 2022 alone, information about more than 30 men of draft age who, without legal grounds, crossed the border of Ukraine, was entered into the Shliakh information system. The issue of choosing a preventive measure for him is currently being decided.