Ukrainian MP Fedienko threatens to sue his colleague for libel
Source: Oleksandr Fedienko
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Fedienko said on Wednesday that he will sue his colleague Maryana Bezuhla for libel after she accused him of being involved in “corrupt schemes”.
In her post on social media, Bezuhla referenced Oleksandr Dmytriiev who was earlier caught on camera giving orders to soldiers posing as an ‘advisor’ to the Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Oleksandr Pavliuk. The video of the civilian scolding the troops caused a stir.
Bezuhla suggested that Dmytriiev’s connections with the “general’s faction” within the Ground Forces ran deep and he was acting as part of the “family” akin to “Chicago-style gangsters.” Among other things, she hinted that Dmytriiev was acting as a ‘sidekick” to Oleksandr Fedienko, known for his alleged lobbying and corruption schemes related to cybersecurity and communications. The lawmaker assumed that Fedienko is also abusing his position on the National Security Committee as a tool for advancing his own interests.
Unsurprisingly, the scandalous claims riled Fedienko who said he will take Bezuhla to court. to “defend his honor and reputation”.
“I will be the first to turn to the court to protect my dignity from this woman’s verbal diarrhea,” Fedienko wrote, calling Bezuhla out over ther lack or the “ethics”. He plans to bring the issue to the Ethics Committee, claiming her actions directly interfere with his work as a state official.
He also warned that the upcoming legal battle would be “public, lengthy, and interesting”. The threats got a calm and brief response from Bezuhla: “See you in the court then”.
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