Russian trace of political “Artek case”: who is Artem Degtiarov and why the initiators still not found
More than 10 years old political case may today’s to spill light by what hands in Ukraine were created political scandals , and who was behind it .
The so-called “Artek case” began in October 2009, when deputy Vadym Kolesnichenko (from the then faction of the Party of Regions) published in the media information about the alleged rape of children in the “Artek” children’s camp, in which Ukrainian Parliament deputies and camp workers were involved. At that time were charged the stepfather of the children – the victims, the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Artek” Dmytro Polyukhovich, the general director of the camp, the chief doctor, one pastor and one deputy from party Block of Yulia Tymoshenko. Later, information appeared in the mass media that deputies from Yulia Tymoshenko’s party in Ukrainian Parliament – Serhiy Teryokhin, Viktor Ukolov, Ruslan Bohdan, and possibly two deputies from Viktor Yushchenko’s party «Our Ukraine» – may be involved in this case. The case then received a lot of publicity just after the start of the presidential election campaign, although it dragged on for more than two years. All the accused categorically denied their involvement in this case.
Already in October 2011, the Central Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs adopted a resolution to close the case due to the absence of a crime.
Polyukhovich, whom the investigation accused of rape, suffered more than anyone else in this case. After the case was closed, he wrote a book about this scandal, «Corrupted by Power», which was published in a small edition, where he explained all the events of during the scandal and his conclusions. Until now, he is trying through the court to find the masterminds of that scandal and to identify the real participants and initiators. But from year to year the court case slows down.
It was not difficult to guess that there was a clear Russian trail behind the case at the time – it was necessary to support the pro-Russian presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych in the 2010 elections and “knock down” his opponent Yulia Tymoshenko. We will remind, at that time Yanukovych won in the second round with a result of 48.95%. In that, not without the help of this political scandal – the “Artek” case.
Later, information began to appear in the mass media that one of the customers was Boris Berezovsky which also confirmed the information about the Russian order of this case.
And who was the performer? The lawyer of the victims then became the traitor of Ukraine, who has been in Russia for a long time – Tetyana Montyan , and the main information driver of the process, who gathered press conferences and positioned himself as both a lawyer and a journalist, and even as a roommate of the victims’ mother – Artem Degtiarov.
In his book, Dmytro Polyukhovich calls him the main executor of this political order. Degtyarev not only constantly put pressure on the investigation and the accused, apparently having serious patrons at the time, but also engaged in constant threats: “I am Berezovsky’s representative. I have money and connections… I will drive you into the asphalt and no one and nothing will help you!” – this is how Pelyukhovych describes Artem Degtiarov work methods in one of his interviews.
Photo – Artem Degtiarov
Artem Degtiarov – a former Russian journalist, was at that time directly connected with the Russian Federation, heading the News of Ukraine (then the “RIA – news agency” in Ukraine). After the scandal he acquired a large fortune and foreign real estate. He registered a number of companies, one of which is London-based AIR JUSTICE LTD, which specializes in “Black Lists”. On the website of this company with the commercial name Blacklist aero – it is noted that its activity is control over unscrupulous companies which refuse to pay debts for airport taxes, payment of bills for ground handling, refueling and other related services
According to the available information, the specified company is only a cover for ordinary collection activities to demand funds, as well as a number of other fraudulent and illegal schemes of activity – from ordinary threats to targeted information attacks, moral pressure, blackmail, intimidation with physical violence against debtors or simply owners or top managers of other companies. Of course, not all methods can be used in Britain, but in Ukraine and in a number of other countries it is certainly possible, because Degtyarev has already established a corresponding “reputation”. Actually, you can read about it “between the lines” on the website of the company.
It is significant that Artem Degtiarov, who has been actively engaged in collection activities in Ukraine and abroad for a long time, probably still has influential Russian curators and “protectors” in Ukrainian pro-government offices. After all, what else can explain the impunity of such work? Probably due to the fact that he knows exactly who was the customer, as well as other direct executors of the «Artek political case».
But interest in Degtiarov began to grow among law enforcement agencies and the Security Service of Ukraine. After all, it was in the conditions of military aggression that “old files” were raised to identify agents who had worked for Russia for a long time. This is probably why, since the beginning of the war, Degtiarov has been in no hurry to return from London to Ukraine…