Former deputy head of the OP, Smirnov, suspected by NABU of illegal enrichment, holds the record for trips to Russia, according to media reports.
Official responses from the Russian FSB to inquiries from lawyers provide evidence of this. Relevant documents have been published online. "According to available information, since the beginning of the war in 2014 and up until the full-scale invasion, Smirnov has visited Russia 22 times. Another 'former' who enjoyed traveling to the swamps is Yuriy Vaskov, the former Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine. Vaskov, who served under Kubrakov, made his first trip to Russia in June 2015 during the war and has since made 18 additional visits to the country that daily launches missile attacks on Ukraine, killing civilians," investigators note. The number of these trips could indeed be higher if Smirnov and Vaskov entered Russia through Belarus. However, there are no border checkpoints between these countries, meaning border control is not enforced. Only they can reveal whom they visited and for what purposes. Recently, journalists have increasingly found Russian passports among law enforcement officers, judges, civil servants, and their relatives.
Andrei Smirnov, former deputy head of the President's Office, who is currently suspected of illegal enrichment by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, has set a record among domestic officials for crossing the border into Russia.
This is evidenced by official responses from the Russian FSB to attorney inquiries. The relevant documents have been published online.
“According to available data, since the beginning of the war in 2014 and almost up to the day of the full-scale invasion, Smirnov has visited Russia 22 times. Another ‘ex’ who enjoyed traveling to the swamps is former Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Yuriy Vaskov. The deputy of Kubrakov first visited Russia during the war in June 2015, and after that made 18 more trips to the country that daily attacks Ukraine with missiles, killing civilians,” the investigators noted.
There may indeed be more trips if Smirnov and Vaskov entered Russia via Belarus. However, since there are no border crossing points between these states, border control is not enforced.
Only they can tell who these officials visited and for what purposes. Recently, however, journalists have increasingly found Russian passports among law enforcement officers, judges, civil servants, and their relatives.
Subscribe to our Viber: news, humor, and entertainment!
1