Censor.NET: Expert report in Poroshenko case omits Yanukovych government’s role in trading Kharkiv Agreements for cheap gas

The State Bureau of Investigation is attempting to accuse Petro Poroshenko of signing the Kharkiv Agreements with Russia, although in reality they were pushed through by then-President Yanukovych and his deputies in exchange for cheap Russian gas. Journalist and blogger Marina Danylyuk-Yermolaeva reminded us of this in her video blog on Censor.NET, commenting on the expert report presented in the case against Poroshenko.

“I was a parliamentary journalist at the time, and I remember perfectly well why these Kharkiv agreements were concluded. Firstly, Viktor Yanukovych, then president, wanted to demonstrate maximum loyalty to Putin as the new head of state. And another very important argument used to justify the Kharkiv agreements was voiced by all the ‘regionals’: they came out and said, Look, there is a discount on Russian gas, this way we will lower people’s bills, and everyone will be very happy.

“In reality, we once again sold out for ‘cheap Russian gas’ and effectively traded away part of our sovereignty for what was the most manipulative and effective instrument the Russian Federation could use against Ukraine and Europe. ‘Cheap Russian gas’—you know very well how the gas addicts behaved back in the spring of 2010.”

She also pointed out that this case was orchestrated by the late Andriy Portnov, who himself was directly involved in drafting the Kharkiv agreements while working in Yanukovych’s administration.

“This so-called examination will not harm Poroshenko or anyone else who may appear in these cases. But the very fact that the Kharkiv agreements case was not closed immediately after Portnov’s murder, and that investigators are still trying to squeeze something out of it, shows that investigator Yablonsky and his team have ambitions to replace Ilya Novikov,” the blogger said.

“I fully agree with the lawyer, and I understand why this is being done. The goal is to hang Poroshenko on a criminal case and prevent him from setting up a headquarters, running for office, and forming alliances with other national democratic parties that could become the foundation of a new coalition in the first post-war elections. This is the threat for Zelenskyy if he seeks a second term as president,” she emphasized.

At the same time, Danylyuk-Yermolaeva drew attention to the fact that the investigation has no questions for representatives of the Opposition Platform – For Life, who actually voted for the Kharkiv agreements and are now cooperating with the authorities.

“Here, Bankova’s calculation is obvious: they will not touch their own people, those they vote with and make backroom deals with. But to dig up some dirt and cobble together a case out of thin air against Poroshenko — that’s considered a sacred duty. And when you read this ‘evidence,’ it is crudely fabricated, sewn with white thread. The ideals of the Revolution of Dignity are being trampled. And it is precisely because of such vatniks, who, unfortunately, still work as investigators in prestigious agencies like the State Bureau of Investigation, that the Russian Federation believes it can act with impunity and that it is even welcome here,” she concluded.