Ukraine says taking oil product pipeline from Russia back into state hands

At a briefing on Friday evening, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, said the security services were investigating Medvedchuk on suspicion of financing terrorism. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said in a statement the PrykarpatZakhidtrans oil product pipeline officially had two owners registered abroad but was "affiliated with two citizens of Ukraine." "Having considered this issue, the National Security and Defence Council decided to take urgent measures to return the state property to the people of Ukraine.

Ukraine is taking back into state hands a pipeline pumping oil products from Russia to Europe, it said on Friday, as it imposed sanctions on Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent opposition party leader with ties to the Kremlin.

Medvedchuk's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At a briefing on Friday evening, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, said the security services were investigating Medvedchuk on suspicion of financing terrorism.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said in a statement the PrykarpatZakhidtrans oil product pipeline officially had two owners registered abroad but was "affiliated with two citizens of Ukraine." "Having considered this issue, the National Security and Defence Council decided to take urgent measures to return the state property to the people of Ukraine. Law enforcement agencies are also tasked with investigating the circumstances in which state property fell into private hands," it said.

Ukrainian media have previously suggested the pipeline was under Medvedchuk's control. Medvedchuk has not commented since Danilov's announcement but wrote on Facebook earlier on Friday that "we will follow the legal path everywhere and in everything, demonstrating that we have preserved at least the remnants of the rule of law in Ukraine."