On March 25, 2015, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a Decree on dismissal of Ihor Kolomoyskyi from the post of Dnipropetrovsk RSA Head, reports Press office of President:
“President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has fulfilled the request of Ihor Kolomoyskyi for resignation from the post of Dnipropetrovsk RSA Head. Respective Decree has been signed by the President at the meeting with Ihor Kolomoyskyi.”
The President has emphasized that Dnipropetrovsk region must remain a reliable defensive frontier in the East of Ukraine:
“We must ensure peace and stability. Dnipropetrovsk region must remain a bastion of Ukraine in the East and protect peace,” Petro Poroshenko said.
“According to the Head of State, Valentyn Reznichenko will be appointed Acting Head of Dnipropetrovsk RSA,” is in the statement.
The owner of Privat Group, conglomerate that holds a 43-per cent stake in oil and gas company Ukrnafta, billionaire Kolomoysky uses heavy-handed tactics in his business activities though he strongly protects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and finances volunteer battalions waging war against pro-Russian terrorists in Eastern Ukraine.
President Petro Poroshenko wants to show the dismission of Kolomoyskyi as the fight against the oligarchs and the separation of business from government in Ukraine. This interpretation sounds like a surprise for many as Kolomoyskyi is the only among major oligarchs decided to fight the separatists in Eastern Ukraine which led to criticism of Putin and RF IC (Russian Federation Investigative Committee) announced Kolomoisky on the international wanted list. At the same time, other pro-Russian oligarchs such as Firtash and Akhmetov are suspected of financing the pro-Russian terrorists and continue to manage their business both in Ukraine and in the occupied territories. Besides being the President Poroshenko as oligarch did not sell his business neither in Ukraine nor in the Russian Federation as well as directly refused to sell his media holding Channel 5.
