Poroshenko appeared in court for treason, and his crony is selling a villa for $4 million - time to answer, - political scientist

In Ukraine, the trial of MP Petro Poroshenko has begun. He is accused of high treason for trading coal with terrorists from the so-called ORDLO during his presidency. At the same time, his former associate and business partner, Oleh Hladkovsky (Svinarchuk), put up a luxury villa for sale for $4 million. Expert Valentyn Hladkykh called these events a natural "accountability for years of plundering the country and unleashing war."

Here are three seemingly different news items from the past day: Russians shelled Ukraine again all night, cities are without electricity and water; Poroshenko's crony and partner Svinarchuk is selling a luxury villa; and, finally, the trial of Poroshenko himself has begun in Kyiv. But the key figure connecting all these news items is Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko. The time has come to answer for what has been done.

According to the expert, back in 2014, after becoming president, Poroshenko continued business ties with Russia, which was already waging war against Ukraine. His enterprises, factories, and plants, he believes, operated in the Russian Federation and occupied Crimea, and the politician himself maintained personal contacts with Vladimir Putin.

"The apotheosis of impunity was Poroshenko's refusal to import coal from abroad in favor of buying coal from ORDLO terrorists controlled by Putin. As "Dzerkalo Tyzhnia" wrote, in 2014, during a National Security and Defense Council meeting, Poroshenko criticized a coal import contract, after which terrorist companies received state orders worth three billion hryvnias. That is, he effectively fed the enemy with the money of Ukrainian citizens," Hladkykh noted.

In parallel, according to the expert, Poroshenko, together with Hladkovsky, actively developed the defense industry. Hladkovsky's appointment as first deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, which gave him control over "Ukroboronprom," marked the beginning of large-scale corruption schemes. According to investigation materials cited by Hladkykh, firms associated with the Svinarchuks supplied smuggled parts, which were then resold to state factories with a markup of 200–300%. Hladkykh also emphasized that Putin saw "Poroshenko's pathological greed for money," observed how the Ukrainian defense sector was being plundered, and the head of state shook his hand.

"Putin saw how the 'gray-haired one' traded with ORDLO, sold his candies in Russia, how explosions at military arsenals in 2015–2018 were ignored, due to which Ukraine lost more than 210 thousand tons of ammunition – about 40% of its arsenal. He understood that for money, this 'icebreaker' was ready to surrender the country," the expert emphasized.

Valentyn Hladkykh concluded that the current brutal shelling of Ukraine is, in essence, a consequence of the decisions and compromises made by the then leadership.

As reported, on October 9, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv began considering the "coal case" regarding the supply of anthracite coal from ORDLO to state thermal power plants in 2014-2015. The key figure in the case is then-President Petro Poroshenko. He is accused of high treason.