KYIV: Ukraine’s domestic security service said on Thursday it had seized assets worth more than more than $280 million belonging to an exiled billionaire it accuses of aiding Russia.
It is the second time this year that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has announced the seizure of property belonging to billionaire Vadym Novynskyi. It said in April that it had seized assets of his worth around $96 million.
Representatives for Novynskyi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the previous property seizure last month they said the seized assets no longer belonged to Novynskyi, and described him as a Ukrainian patriot.
His representatives have previously denied the accusation that Novynskyi has aided Russia.
The SBU said in a statement that it had seized assets worth more than 10.5 billion hryvnias ($284.40 million), including the Ochakiv seaport in southern Ukraine.
Kyiv imposed sanctions on Novynskyi in December along with several leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a minority church accused by Kyiv of retaining deep ties to Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The billionaire is a prominent supporter of the church, which says it severed all links to Russia last year and that it is the victim of a political witch hunt. ($1 = 36.9200 hryvnias)
Ukraine says it’s seized $280 million of exiled billionaire’s assets
https://arab.news/y5px7
Ukraine says it’s seized $280 million of exiled billionaire’s assets
- It is the second time this year that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has announced the seizure of property belonging to billionaire Vadym Novynskyi
- In the previous property seizure last month they said the seized assets no longer belonged to Novynskyi, and described him as a Ukrainian patriot
North Korea says it respects Iran’s choice of new supreme leader: KCNA
- North Korea, a longstanding US adversary, has previously condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran an “illegal act of aggression”
- Defying US President Donald Trump’s desire to have a say in who runs Iran, the Islamic republic on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father, longtime ruler Ali Khamenei, who died in an Israeli airstrike on February 28
SEOUL: North Korea respects Iran’s choice of new supreme leader, state media reported Wednesday, as it accused the United States and Israel of destroying regional peace.
“With regard to the recent official announcement that Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected the new leader of the Islamic Revolution, we respect the rights and choice of the Iranian people to elect their supreme leader,” an unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by state news agency KCNA.
Defying US President Donald Trump’s desire to have a say in who runs Iran, the Islamic republic on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father, longtime ruler Ali Khamenei, who died in an Israeli airstrike on February 28.
North Korea, a longstanding US adversary, has previously condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran an “illegal act of aggression.”
On Wednesday, the North Korean spokesperson reiterated that position, saying that the United States and Israel “are destroying the regional peace and security foundations and escalating instability worldwide.”
“Any rhetorical threats and military action, which violate the political system and territorial integrity of the relevant country, interfere in its internal affairs and openly advocate the attempt to overthrow its social system, deserve worldwide criticism and rejection as they can never be tolerated,” the spokesperson added.
In recent months, the Trump administration has mounted a push to revive high-level talks with Pyongyang, eyeing a potential summit between the US president and the North’s Kim Jong Un this year.
After largely ignoring those overtures for months, Kim recently said that the two nations could “get along” if Washington accepted Pyongyang’s nuclear status.
