Ukraine’s Poroshenko to Sue TV Channel Owned By Oligarch Kolomoisky

This was announced by the Head of the President’s faction Petro Poroshenko Bloc Artur Gerasimov in a statement.

Petro Poroshenko decided to sue 1+1, which is owned by the Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky. The two have an ongoing rivalry, which was initially sparked by the forced nationalization of Kolomoisky’s main asset, at the time Ukraine’s largest commercial bank PrivatBank back in December 2016. The grounds for filing a suit, according to the statement, are “systematic lies, namely, the misinformation being spread by the channel that damages the honor and dignity of the current president and presidential candidate.”

On March 23, 1+1 aired a film called Ukrainian Sensations, which is dedicated to the incumbent President’s alleged past misconduct. Among others, there are claims that Poroshenko is responsible for public funds embezzlement through organization of corrupt schemes, as well as the death of his own brother, Mykhaylo Poroshenko. The latter allegation was previously heard on Russia’s NTV channel, as part of anti-Ukrainian state propaganda.

“Poroshenko’s pre-election headquarters calls on all citizens of Ukraine to treat news and other information products made by 1+1 with great caution. With every passing day they produce less objective journalism and serve ever more political orders from the owner [Kolomoisky]," the statement reads.

In response, 1+1 Media Group stated that “each claim [featured in the film] has solid evidence and [can be testified by] witnesses.”  The party’s statement allegedly “resembled a promotional campaign in the light of upcoming presidential election rather than a genuine desire to refute false information with solid grounds”. The group reiterated its readiness to defend its position as an independent media, as well as its right to freedom of speech.