Scandal with a NBU official: threats to a military officer and demands for dismissal
Kyiv • UNN
The head of the NBU department, Pavel Poliarush, threatened a Belarusian volunteer while driving drunk. Social media demanded a response from the NBU and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the dismissal of Poliarush.
Ukrainians on social media are demanding a reaction from the leadership of the National Bank of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the conflict between the head of the NBU's Department for Work with Problem Assets, Pavel Polarush, and a volunteer from Belarus, Andrei Tratsevsky (Bezsmertny), UNN reports .
Context
Belarusian volunteer Andrei Tratsevsky (Bezsmertny) said that he was threatened by Pavel Poliarush, a drunken head of the NBU's Department for Work with Troubled Assets. The incident occurred on the road near one of the capital's residential complexes. According to him, Poliarush jumped in front of a military officer, blocked traffic, started fighting and said that he would shoot him in the legs with his award weapon. Polarush denied everything. Another video published by the military shows that police officers inspecting Polarush's car found an object that looked like a gun. According to Tratsevsky, Poliarush allegedly stated that he would "buy everyone" and said in front of law enforcement officers that "all Belarusian volunteers will either go back to Belarus or kneel in Pokrovsk.
The Kyiv police told UNN that they had opened criminal proceedings under the articles "threatening to kill" and "inflicting light bodily harm" and drew up a report against Polarush for driving under the influence. In addition, law enforcement officers confirmed that they had seized a weapon from the official.
Videos of the incident went viral on social media and caused outrage among users.
It was reported that Pavlo Polarush, head of the NBU's Department for Problem Assets, almost caused an accident while driving drunk and then threatened to shoot a soldier in the legs. He shouted that he would "buy everyone" and everything would be fine. This is really some kind of savagery and a sense of total impunity. A civil servant threatens to shoot someone in the legs in the middle of the street in Kyiv. Will there be any reaction? Or will there be even more outrage than in society?
He also reminded that Polarush is the common-law husband of Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra.
Journalist Serhiy Lyamets noted that the incident with Polarush resembles the conflict between journalists and the former head of Ukreximbank, Yevhen Metzger, when he tried to take away the camera by force.
I don't know if he really jumped out on the road and threatened to shoot the soldier in the legs with his award weapon. But it looks like he was drunk. That's one thing. And it also looks like someone is giving him instructions, including to refute everything. And the way he behaves is very striking. I think, where have I seen this before? Exactly, when two officials, led by the former head of Ukreximbank, Yevhen Metzger, tried to forcefully snatch the camera from the film crew. This is the same complex of God that deals with slaves. As the case of Mr. Metzger showed, it is quickly cured. However, according to the reviews, he is a decent man himself, who just got carried away. In this case, I wouldn't count on it
Other social media users demanded an immediate reaction from the NBU management and Polarush's dismissal.
It is worth noting that UNN asked the National Bank of Ukraine to comment on the conflict with the head of the NBU's Department for Work with Troubled Assets Pavel Polarush and a volunteer from Belarus Andrei Tratsevsky, but so far there has been no official response.
Recall
According to media reports, Polarush is to be appointed Managing Director of the Deposit Guarantee Fund. He is a favorite of the National Bank, whose representatives are members of the DGF's Administrative Board, which is making the relevant personnel changes. It is possible that Polarush may also be supported by the Presidential Office, as the Deputy Head of the Office, Iryna Mudra, is his common-law wife.
Earlier, journalists found out that Polarush repeatedly traveled abroad after the start of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. In particular, the journalists reported that in November 2022 he received permission to leave the country from the odious former deputy defense minister, who is now a suspect in corruption crimes. The permit was allegedly issued to Polarush to travel abroad in an elite Lexus car to receive humanitarian aid. However, it is not yet known on what grounds Polarush traveled abroad from February to November 2022.
Member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Mykola Velychkovych believesthat law enforcement should investigate Polarush's travels abroad. A member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense, Hennadiy Kasai , does not rule outthat Polarush may have problems during the special vetting process as a candidate for the position of managing director of the Deposit Guarantee Fund.
At the same time, MPs and experts interviewed by UNN emphasize that the election of the new head of the Deposit Guarantee Fund should be transparent and open. And one of the main selection criteria, along with professionalism, should be the candidate's crystal clear business reputation.
It is extremely important to have an impeccable reputation. This is the key. It is important that this person has a decent reputation, is definitely a specialist and a patriot of Ukraine, and does not represent the interests of someone else
