Lychakiv District Court of Lviv in absentia ordered the detention of one of the leaders of "OPFL" (Opposition Platform — For Life), Viktor Medvedchuk, who disappeared after a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On 18 March 2022, the examining magistrate granted the State Bureau of Investigation investigator's request to choose a measure of restraint following Part 6 of Art. 193 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, what means in the defendant's absence. This was reported in the State Bureau of Investigation.
"Earlier, investigators and prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine took measures to conduct an international search for Viktor Medvedchuk," the statement said.
A member of the Parliament and a relative to Putin [Putin is a goddaughter to Medvedchuk's daughter], Viktor Medvedchuk is suspected of treason and providing assistance to a terrorist organization.
The location of the defendant is being established.
Ukrainians are asked to report Medvedchuk's possible whereabouts to the State Bureau of Investigation at [email protected] and by phone +38 (044) 356 40 00 (adding 21 10).
Medvedchuk was under house arrest. On 21 February 2022, a few days before the Russian attack on Ukraine, the personal staff of the politician was packed, loaded, and taken away. His wife left for Belarus on 19 February 2022. On 27 February 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that Viktor Medvedchuk had left in an unknown direction.