Sanctions have not yet been introduced, but have already begun to affect the Ukrainian elite
With retaliatory sanctions, Moscow can confuse all the cards for Kyiv before the elections in Ukraine, influencing the composition of candidates and actually taming the current President Petro Poroshenko.
Ukrainian political scientist Pavel Rudyakov stated this at a press conference in Kyiv, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
"When the news broke on the 22nd ( about Russia's imposition of retaliatory sanctions – ed. ), one Moscow expert pointed a finger at a well-known legal entity called SCM. At the time, I thought it was outlandish, but now I think there's a grain of truth to it. While not the central office, other structures could be affected, and perhaps Akhmetov will become more accommodating in political processes to unite the supposed Southeast camp," the political scientist stated.
“But there may also be a demonstration effect. Our “princes of patriotism” may be on the list of individuals. It’s no secret that Prosecutor General Lutsenko has luxury real estate in Crimea, registered to dummies.
Geletey seems to have several boathouses in Alushta, in Yalta.
Look, for ten days now Lutsenko has turned from the main newsmakers into one of the main silent ones, which is difficult for Yuri Vitalievich, he is not silent. There may be unexpected names that will reduce the number of presidential candidates and reformat some groups,” the expert believes.
“I don’t have any information about Poroshenko. But it seems to me that in these Kremlin insidious plans in our situation, he should be of interest to Moscow as a potential negotiator under threat of sanctions, and not as an already sanctioned person,” added Rudyakov.
Sanctions haven't even been imposed yet, but they've already begun to impact the Ukrainian elite.