Journalist Andrei Tsaplienko reported on his Telegram channel that after yesterday’s search, pro-Russian political scientist Mikhail Pogrebinsky, who often appeared on Russian propaganda channels, was detained in Kyiv.
The UNIAN agency writes that Pogrebinsky is suspected of high treason and illegal enrichment.
The publication notes that Mikhail Pogrebinsky is associated with the oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk (Putin’s godfather), with whom he maintained friendly relations.
Mikhail Pogrebinsky is 75 years old. He is a native of Kyiv. In 1969 he graduated from the Faculty of Physics of Kiev University. From 1969 to 1990, he worked at the Kiev Institute of Microinstruments, where he held the positions of engineer, lead engineer and head of the laboratory for physical and mathematical modeling. Since 1989, he participated as a leader and adviser in election campaigns. In 1993, he founded the Kyiv Center for Political Studies and Conflictology, engaged in research and consultations in the socio-political sphere, of which he has been director throughout the time. He owned the “Center for Effective Politics”, which was engaged in political consulting. He was a deputy of the Kiev City Council, a member of the Kiev City Executive Committee, an assistant to the deputy chairman of the Supreme Council of Ukraine, a member of the Council of Experts on Domestic Policy under President Leonid Kuchma (1998-2000). In 1998-2000 he was an adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Valeriy Pustovoitenko. From 2002 to 2004, he worked as an adviser to the head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, Viktor Medvedchuk. In 2004, he was an adviser to the election headquarters of presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych. In 2012-2014, he actively collaborated with the public movement “Ukrainian Choice” of Viktor Medvedchuk. From October 2014 to December 2016, he was a columnist for the Russian edition of Lenta.ru. Since 2014, he has periodically appeared on the air of the NewsOne TV channel.
On March 26, 2022, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies searched Pogrebinsky’s apartment in Kyiv. Investigators said that the Pogrebinsky-led Kyiv Center for Political Studies and Conflictology studied the mood of Ukrainian society on an ongoing basis, and the information received was transferred to the Russian leadership for planning policy towards Ukraine. According to Ukrainian law enforcement officers, “Pogrebinsky prepared and sent advice to the Russian Federation on special information operations against Ukraine.” It was also reported that during the search at Pogrebinsky’s, the results of polls were revealed, where “allegedly 46% of Ukrainians support Russian President Vladimir Putin.” On the fact of the searches, proceedings were initiated under Art. 111 (High treason) and Article 191 (Assignment, embezzlement or possession of property through abuse of office) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.