A Ukrainian warfare veteran and civil society chief has revealed surprising particulars about his marketing campaign to carry Russian warfare criminals to justice — together with an alleged assassination try linked to his involvement within the case towards Russian State Duma deputy Magomed Gadzhiev (pictured).
The activist, who heads the NGO Yakisne Suspilstvo (Quality Society) reminded journalists that he himself had been convicted in absentia by a Russian court docket and sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment — a punishment he describes as “the Kremlin’s revenge for my work exposing their crimes.”
Fighting for accountability
As the founding father of a motion devoted to the prosecution of Russian warfare criminals, he has been a number one determine within the case towards Gadzhiev, a long-time deputy of Russia’s State Duma and one of many co-authors of the notorious legal guidelines that facilitated the unlawful annexation of Crimea.
“Gadzhiev’s political document speaks for itself,” the activist mentioned. “He helped draft the so-called Dima Yakovlev Law, which banned the adoption of Russian orphans by international households, and pushed ahead a collection of legal guidelines designed to entrench Putin’s authoritarian management. His profession is the proper illustration of what sort of particular person we’re coping with.”
Links to terrorism
The activist introduced what he described as documentary proof linking Gadzhiev to the financing of terrorist regimes within the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (L/DPR), each earlier than and after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“I’ve in my palms letters of gratitude from [Denis] Pushilin, paperwork from the so-called ‘DNR militia,’ and lists of kit Gadzhiev personally donated — drones, physique armor, and different navy provides,” he mentioned. “There is even a video of Pushilin publicly thanking Gadzhiev for his help.
A troubled court docket case in Kyiv
According to the activist, the trial of Gadzhiev in Kyiv’s Pechersk District Court has been suffering from procedural irregularities. “For practically a 12 months, the case made no progress,” he mentioned. “State-appointed attorneys skipped hearings, new attorneys appeared and disappeared, and finally even international attorneys from Belgium — who neither communicate Ukrainian nor perceive our authorized system — have been admitted to the method.”
He believes this quantities to a “procedural sabotage” geared toward serving to Gadzhiev keep away from punishment. “It’s value noting that Gadzhiev isn’t hiding in Moscow — he lives comfortably in France, holidays in Courchevel, owns luxurious property in Miami, and maintains financial institution accounts throughout Europe. For him, a Ukrainian conviction would imply the tip of that luxurious.”
Attempted bribery and assassination plot
The activist additionally described what he known as a “clear chain of escalation.” “First, I used to be supplied cash to withdraw my group from the case. When I refused, issues took a darker flip,” he mentioned.
Before one of many court docket hearings, he obtained a telephone name from a person claiming to be a regulation enforcement officer who invited him to a casual assembly — conveniently scheduled for a similar time because the listening to. Suspicious, he contacted Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU).
“I can’t disclose all the main points, however the SBU acted flawlessly. The would-be murderer was detained, and I even took half in a face-to-face confrontation after the arrest,” he revealed. “Given Gadzhiev’s prison background — he was as soon as suspected in Russia of involvement within the homicide of a mufti in Dagestan — I’ve little question this plot was ordered to silence me and derail the case.”
A name to Europe
The activist urged European governments to cease sheltering Russian elites implicated in warfare crimes. “For me, it’s not nearly one case,” he mentioned. “It’s about making certain that the rich perpetrators of Russia’s aggression discover no secure haven — not in Paris, not in Brussels, not wherever. They should face justice for sponsoring terrorism and for waging warfare towards Ukraine.”
Launch of a brand new world platform
In closing, the activist introduced the creation of a brand new worldwide civic platform to determine, monitor, and maintain accountable Russian people liable for initiating or supporting the warfare.
“After World War II, many warfare criminals have been captured because of civil society efforts working alongside intelligence businesses,” he mentioned. “We are launching the same world initiative. We invite activists, journalists, and attorneys around the globe to hitch us.”
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