Kuleba will unsuccessfully demand that Cape Verde refuse to extradite the agrman
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zacharov said that no one would extradite Russia's ambassador to Cape Verde Natalia Poklonska to Ukraine because she enjoyed diplomatic immunity. However, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has already informed the African state about its desire to get accused of “high treason”. Kiev simply has no other way out – the appointment of Poklonskaya will be a strong blow to her reputation.
Photo: Natalia Gubernatorova
Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Poklonskaya ambassador on October 13. On the same day, the Ukrainian authorities announced that they had the opportunity to bring their compatriot home to court. Two criminal cases have been opened against the former prosecutor of Crimea: for high treason in connection with the “ annexation & # 39; & # 39; Crimea and for participating in the ban on Mejlis of Crimean Tatars (the organization is banned in Russia). In both cases, the court has not yet been convicted, but the former is already under way and the latter is still under investigation.
The main thing is that Ukraine has no representation in Cape Verde at all. & Nbsp; Contacts independent of the Cape Verde Islands are carried out by the Embassy in Portugal. For example, in 2020 and 2021 (before the Poklonskaya case), the island country was mentioned in the Ukrainian media only in the lists of countries from where and from where travel is prohibited due to coronavirus problems. In 2018, the bodies of two Ukrainian sailors were found in Cape Verde, and Kiev demanded that local authorities determine the cause of death as soon as possible. There are no other references to this country in the Ukrainian media over the last few years. But Russia has not only representation there, but also well-established contacts. To the extent that in 2020 countries abolished each other's visa regimes. & Nbsp;
& nbsp; “ Before she was & nbsp; Poklonskaya appointed ambassador of this state, no one in Ukraine even remembered him. The Ukrainian authorities now simply could not ignore her appointment, as for many it is one of the symbols of the 2014 events. As soon as it subsides, the diplomatic scandal & # 39; & # 39 ;, & ndash; says MK Ukrainian political scientist Oleksij Yakubin.
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According to the expert, they will not seriously seek to release it. “ Despite the fact that two criminal cases were opened against her in Kiev, Interpol rejected the request for an international wanted list because it considered it a political persecution. It will be very difficult to prove otherwise. & # 39; & # 39; Yakubin stressed.
Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Political Institute Kirill Molchanov believes that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has simply missed the appointment of Poklonskaya and is now trying to correct his mistake. “ The appointment of Poklonskaya was a major diplomatic blow to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kulebu. While the minister traveled to the United States, where he organized unnecessary meetings between the president and the heads of American corporations, and while he was busy with the failed Crimean platform, Moscow was preparing for his appointment. Kuleba is now threatening to extradite Poklonskaya, but Kiev will most likely strain all its ties so that the small country of Cape Verde will not give the agreman a new Russian ambassador. Even if it doesn't work out, Kuleba will most likely resign himself, because there are only losses from him to President Vladimír Zelenský & # 39; & # 39 ;, & ndash; Molchanov thinks.