#11 is coming on September 30 Ukraine's customs st 21 Subscribe Year to Kyiv Post online. :::.<,93267&20 vol. 21, issue 36 www.kyivpost.com September 2, 2016 Forbidden Trade Despite Sanctions, International Trade with Crimea Continues An aerial view of the seaport in Russian-occupied Sevastopol on Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. Despite Western sanctions, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project has found that European ships continue to do business in the Crimean ports. (Courtesy) Editor’s Note: The following After Russian troops occupied the Yet more than 600 vessels have What makes it easier for them named General flew the blue-and- report by the Organized Crime and Crimean peninsula two years ago, entered Crimean ports in the past is that to date, Ukraine has not yellow flag of the Republic of Palau as Corruption Reporting Project, a Kyiv the Kyiv government moved to block two years, and OCCRP research prosecuted a single vessel owner or it passed through the Bosphorus, the Post partner, was written by Oleksandr trade at all commercial ports—a indicates both Western and Middle captain. channel linking the Sea of Marmara Humeniuk, Maksym Kytsiuk, Olena move that was later supported by the Eastern businesspeople continue to to the Black Sea at Istanbul. Loginova and Andrii Ianitskyi. European Union, the United States trade with Crimea, in violation of the Ghost ships and other countries. policies of their own countries. In early December 2015, a vessel more Crimea on page 10 National 2, 3, 9 – 11 Business 6 – 8 Follow the Kyiv Post on CURRENCY WATCH Facebook at Opinion 4, 5 Lifestyle 12 – 14 www.facebook.com/ KyivPost, and on Twitter Hr 26.2 to $1 Inside: Employment/Real Estate/Classifieds 15 at @KyivPost. Sept. 1 market rate Advertising: +380 44 591-7788 [email protected] Subscriptions: +380 44 591-7788 [email protected] Editorial staff: +380 44 591-3344 [email protected] 2 National September 2, 2016 www.kyivpost.com SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 Vol. 21, Issue 36 Copyright © 2016 by Kyiv Post The material published in the Kyiv Post may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. All material in the Kyiv Post is protected by Ukrainian and international laws. The views expressed in the Kyiv Post are not Medvedchuk proud necessarily the views of the publisher nor does the publisher carry any responsibility for those views. Газета “Kyiv Post” видається ТОВ “Паблік-Ме- діа”. Щотижневий наклад 11,000 прим. Ціна to be Putin’s friend за домовленістю. Матерiали, надрукованi в газетi “Kyiv Post” є власнiстю видавництва, BY CHRISTOPHER J. MILLER захищенi мiжнародним та українським законодавством i не можуть бути вiдтворенi © Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty у будь(якiй формi без письмового дозволу More than a decade ago, Viktor Видавця. Думки, висловленi у дописах не Medvedchuk became known as the завжди збiгаються з поглядами видавця, “Gray Cardinal” because his low pro- який не бере на себе вiдповiдальнiсть за file masked unparalleled clout in the наслiдки публiкацiй. halls of power in Ukraine. These days, detractors have Засновник ТОВ “Паблік-Медіа” another nickname for the million- Головний редактор Брайан Боннер aire tycoon and backroom politician Відповідальний за випуск with close personal ties to Russian Люк Шеньє President Vladimir Putin: they call Адреса видавця та засновника him the Prince of Darkness. співпадають: Україна, м. Київ, 01004, A behind-the-scenes force in Ukrainian politics since Leonid вул. Пушкінська, 31А, 6-й поверх. Kuchma’s presidency, when he Реєстрацiйне свiдоцтво served as chief of staff from 2002 to Кв № 15261(3833ПР від 19.06.09. 2005, Medvedchuk holds no prom- Передплатний індекс ДП Преса 40528 inent post today – and he says Надруковано ТОВ «Новий друк», he doesn’t want one. In a recent interview, he told RFE/RL he feels 02660, Київ, вулиця Магнітогорська, 1, more “free” and effective without the тел.: 559-9147 confines of political office. Замовлення № 13-8040 But his influence has been thrown З приводу розміщення реклами into relief again by the upheaval звертайтесь: +380 44 591-77-88 that has hit Ukraine since protest- ers drove a Moscow-friendly presi- Відповідальність за зміст реклами dent from power in February 2014. несе замовник. Russia responded by seizing Crimea and fomenting unrest in eastern Mailing address: Ukraine, setting off a war between Then head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, Viktor Medvedchuk (second from right), applauds Kyiv Post, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma as they arrive for a ceremony 31A Pushkinska, Suite 600, 6th floor Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists Kyiv, Ukraine, 01004 that has killed more than 9,500 marking the end of the Year of Russia on Jan. 23, 2004 in Kyiv. (AFP) Advertising people. tel. +380 44 591-7788 With ties in tatters, Ukraine’s new, spread concern and suspicion by the his closeness with Putin. On the Medvedchuk said that he under- fax +380 44 591-3345 [email protected] pro-Western leadership appointed Ukrainian public. contrary. stood their frustration and stressed Editorial staff Medvedchuk that June to act as a More than two years later, that “You know, those who talk about it, that legally, Crimea is part of tel. +380 44 591-3344 lead arbiter in dealings with Russia. wariness has not gone away. Several it seems to me they’re just jealous of Ukraine. “But de facto, unfortunate- fax +380 44 591-3345 The hope was that the Kremlin con- Ukrainians who were jailed in Russia me. They are just jealous of me, and ly, it belongs to Russia,” he said. [email protected] Subscriptions&Distribution nections of a man who has Putin as have returned home in swap deals, that’s it,” he said, adding that he has And don’t expect it be returned to tel. +380 44 591-3344 the godfather of his daughter would including the prominent former heli- nothing to hide: “I don’t even want Ukraine, he added, accusing the fax +380 44 591-3345 be helpful. copter navigator Nadia Savchenko, to make other comments on this sub- central government of pushing the [email protected] But Medvedchuk’s Kremlin but many others remain behind bars. ject, because my work is transparent.” peninsula away, alienating its resi- Employment Advertising tel. +380 44 591-3344 connections meant that, while Meanwhile, the peace deal Medvedchuk spoke to RFE/RL in dents, and prompting them to accept fax +380 44 591-3345 the appointment was celebrated Medvedchuk helped forge for east- a boardroom at his office, behind Russian control. [email protected] in Moscow, it was met with wide- ern Ukraine is in danger of falling heavy doors flanked by beefy securi- “If the authorities in Ukraine would apart. The cease-fire is in tatters, ty guards in an unassuming building like Crimea returned, they would not with increased fighting this summer off Kyiv’s Leo Tolstoy Square. cut the electricity, not cut the water stoking fears of a return to full-scale He wore well-shined loafers, and declare an economic blockade,” war. And political aspects of the pressed slacks, musky cologne, and Medvedchuk said. “It would not have Minsk accords, which were supposed a tight-fitting white shirt that set off stopped rail transport, both freight to reintegrate separatist-held terri- a fresh suntan he acquired in what and passenger. It would not have tory into Ukraine and restore Kyiv’s might seem like the last place a stopped trucking.” control over its border with Russia by Ukrainian politician would go for a Medvedchuk is in lockstep with the end of 2015, have gone largely summer vacation these days: Crimea. the Kremlin, or close, on other key unfulfilled. “It was perfect – a warm sea, issues. For many in Ukraine, questions nice temperature, great location,” While much of the world accus- about the motives of Medvedchuk said Medvedchuk, whose practiced, es Moscow of igniting the war in have only been amplified. pearly smile seemed to project a con- eastern Ukraine, Medvedchuk puts Medvedchuk is “Putin’s person- fidence grounded in careful prepa- most of the blame on the Ukrainian al representative in Ukraine,” said ration. “I first vacationed in Crimea government. He contended that Kyiv Taras Berezovets, director of the sometime in the early 1990s and I’ve is wrong when it says that elections Kyiv-based political consultancy firm continued that tradition since.” in the separatist-held territories, a Berta Communications. But this is not the early 1990s. key step on the path to peace set Today, Crimea is at the heart of out in the Minsk deal, are possible ‘Just jealous’ a rift between Moscow and Kyiv only after Ukrainian control over the Medvedchuk has said it is a “great that may never heal: Ukraine says border with Russia in those regions honor” to be counted among Putin’s it will never give up the peninsula, is restored. friends. The Russian president while Moscow says it will never give The accord called for an imme- reportedly baptized Medvedchuk’s back what Putin has called Russia’s diate and full bilateral cease-fire, daughter in St. Petersburg in 2004, holy land. Kyiv, rights groups, and followed by the withdrawal of all and cameras have repeatedly cap- Western governments say Russia has heavy weapons by both sides and the tured him at Putin’s side – whether abused and oppressed Tatars and establishment of an effective moni- it’s at a Formula One race in Sochi, other Crimeans who opposed the toring regime before local elections Contact Interdean: Russia, at a sambo martial arts meet, annexation in March 2014, and visi- should be held. Kyiv must also adopt T: +38 (044) 576 7370 or with wife and kids at a lavish tors from other parts of Ukraine have a law governing the elections and +38 (044) 384 2773 Crimean villa.