The Russian FSB tried to take Viktor Medvedchuk first to Transnistria and later to Moscow. But the Security Service of Ukraine detained the fugitive people’s deputy on his way out of Kyiv region. The Head of the SSU Ivan Bakanov talked about the details of this high-profile special operation in the national telethon.

‘For many of its participants, it was a really difficult and dangerous operation, which lasted about a month in war-time conditions. The President gave an order, and we engaged all efforts to fulfil it and find Mr. Medvedchuk. A lot of analytical and operational work has been carried out and it has led to a successful outcome,’ Ivan Bakanov said.

The SSU was countering not just Medvedchuk personally, but a more powerful enemy – Russia’s Federal Security Service, which sought to take Putin’s crony abroad.

‘Russian special services organized their own operation to transport Medvedchuk to Transnistria and then to Moscow. Even representatives of criminal world and corrupt law enforcement officers were involved in its implementation,’ Ivan Bakanov revealed.

He noted that the FSB tried to disguise its plans as much as possible: they fed disinformation to the media, made fake ‘leakages’ of data, tried to organize ‘phony’ routes to evacuate the politician and let the SSU follow a false trail and even prepared ‘pseudo-Medvedchuks’ to divert attention.

‘In fact, they wanted to take Medvedchuk to Ukrainian border disguising him as a military serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine accompanied by colleagues. From the border - by boat to the so-called Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic), where already waiting for him was the evacuation group of the FSB special forces. They were to take Medvedchuk to Moscow. But thanks to the SSU, this plan was not implemented!’ Ivan Bakanov added.

The SSU Counterintelligence calculated dozens of versions and identified the actual route and place of arrival of the FSB evacuation group.

‘This enabled the SSU operatives and investigators to detain Medvedchuk on his way out of Kyiv region. I want to emphasize that he was accompanied by Ukrainian law enforcement officers, who will also be brought to responsibility for their actions! Now Medvedchuk is awaiting trial, choosing the measure of restraint, or rather its confirmation - detention. And then, I hope, he’ll receive the deserved punishment,’ the SSU Head stated.

Ivan Bakanov added that V.Medvedchuk’s detention is a signal to every traitor in Ukraine - no one will escape punishment, and the SSU will do everything possible for this.