Ousted Ukraine Officials Enjoy Life of Luxury in Moscow

[Tommy_Carcetti]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by William769 (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Moscow Times

One year ago, when Ukraine's beleaguered fourth President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev, he had limited options in terms of where he could seek refuge.

His exit from the capital on Feb. 21 was preceded by three dark days in which 77 protesters and 18 police officers died in street clashes in circumstances that are still not entirely clear, many of them shot by snipers. The deaths were the tragic climax of mass-scale street protests sparked three months earlier over Yanukovych's decision to postpone the signing of an Association Agreement with the European Union.

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All three men, together with another trio of disgraced former officials, are now included on the EU sanctions list because they are wanted in Ukraine in connection with the embezzlement of state funds and their illegal transfer outside Ukraine. They are also all reportedly now living in Moscow.

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In Moscow, Yanukovych moved to Barvikha, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Moscow's suburbs, the RBC news website reported. Novo-Ogaryovo, one of Putin's official residences, is nearby.

Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/disgraced-ukraine-officials-toppled-by-maidan-enjoy-life-of-luxury-in-moscow-one-year-on/516264.html

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Well, glad to know all those oil paintings found a nice home.

As I said, it was a calculated business decision by Yanukovych to leave. He could attempt to fight off the wrath of his own people. And perhaps he could have won. (Assad) Or maybe he wouldn't have. (Ceausescu).

Or, he could take Russia's offer and retire to safety and realize he still could live an extremely comfortable and luxurious life as a private citizen without all the hassles of office. And that he did.

[jakeXT]

1. I bet our guy Saakashvili, also a wanted man, isn't doing so bad in Ukraine either /nt

[Duckhunter935]

2. probably not as good

[KellyW]

5. He lives in NYC

very comfortably.

[jakeXT]

6. I believe his working visa was denied so he may only have a tourist one

Saakashvili denied to get business visa in the U.S.

The U.S. has denied a business visa to Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgian Alia newspaper reported on September 30, citing Saakashvili's United National Movement party.

"The veracity of the information will soon be cleared. Supporters of the ex-president's party are disappointed. The U.S. political elite is disillusioned with Saakashvili, he has, in fact, no support at the White House anymore," the paper wrote.

It added that in case of visa denial in the U.S., Saakashvili will not be able to count upon that country to get a political asylum.

http://www.azernews.az/region/71383.html

In case of need I guess you could still fly in your preferred massage therapist.

Mr. Saakashvili said he expected a renewal of his own tenure as “senior statesmen” at Tufts, but the university said the relationship ended in May. In addition, Mr. Saakashvili said he had not pursued a position at his alma mater, Columbia, but a former professor said people close to Mr. Saakashvili had inquired about a job for him at the law school. Lincoln Mitchell, a critic of Mr. Saakashvili and a research scholar at Columbia, said leaders of the law school had concerns. “Was he going to be indicted by an international tribunal?” Mr. Mitchell recalled their asking. “And concerns about his personal behavior.”

...


IN August, Georgian prosecutors charged Mr. Saakashvili with using public money to pay for, among other things, hotel expenses for a personal stylist, hotel and travel for two fashion models, Botox injections and hair removal, the rental of a yacht in Italy and the purchase of artwork by the London artist Meredith Ostrom, who makes imprints on canvases with her naked, painted body. They have also charged him in a violent crackdown on a rally of political protesters in 2007. If convicted, Mr. Saakashvili could serve up to 11 years in prison.

Mr. Saakashvili is also accused of using public money to fly his massage therapist, Dorothy Stein, into Georgia in 2009. Mr. Saakashvili said he received a massage from Ms. Stein on “one occasion only,” but Ms. Stein said she received 2,000 euros to massage him multiple times, including delivering her trademark “bite massage.”

“He gave me a bunch of presents,” said Ms. Stein, who splits her time between Berlin and Hoboken. “He said, ‘Oh, my wife won’t mind.’ He gave me a gold necklace with some kind of religious pendant, which obviously I’m not going to wear because my God is Frank Zappa.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/20/world/europe/mikheil-saakashvili-georgias-ex-president-plots-return-from-williamsburg-brooklyn.html?_r=3

[hobbit709]

3. But, but Russia had nothing to do with any of this.

for those that need it.

[Fred Sanders]

4. Poroshenko better soak up his life of luxury and seized power in Kiev because the lease on his palace has expired.

The abandoned soldiers of Debaltseva are coming home...even the UK has given him up.

[William769]

7. Sorry, we have to lock this.

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