Putin's 'Crony' And Pro-Kremlin Lawmaker Medvedchuk Captured In Ukraine

According to reports, the Ukrainian secret service has captured pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, today 11 April.

As the war in Ukraine continues, it has been alleged that Medvedchuk, who had a treason case opened against him my Ukrainian authorities last year, has been captured.

In the past Medvedchuk has said that Russian president Vladimir Putin is godfather to his daughter.

Ukrainian president shared a picture of the captured man to Telegram, which was then re-shared to Twitter.

Pictures of the captured politician were shared to Twitter, with the caption: "Zelensky's official telegram account announces that SBU caught the fugitive oligarch and Putin's close friend Viktor Medvedchuk. Camouflage and all."

Medvedchuk, the leader of the ForLife political party had been interviewed in 2018 by The Independent. While he gave little clarity on his political aspirations, the political said "The government has no influence on life in the country. It has no monopoly of force."

The politician was said to have escaped house arrest three days before Putin launched his invasion on Ukraine on 24 February.

However, a lawyer for Medvedchuk denied the allegation and said that he had instead moved locations due to threats from nationalist groups.

His lawyer, Larysa Cherednychenko, noting: "In connection with the real danger to life, as well as the need to ensure his protection, Viktor Medvedchuk was evacuated to a safe place in Kyiv."

News of Medvedchuk's capture comes as the war continues in Ukraine.

Despite the destruction caused in the wake of Putin's invasion, the people of Kyiv remain defiant.

With Zelenskyy's wife, Olena, opening up about the strength of the country.

In an interview with Vogue, Olena said: "The war immediately combined the personal and public. And this is probably the fatal mistake of the tyrant who attacked us. We are all Ukrainians first, and then everything else."

"When one of us is tortured, raped, or killed, we feel that we all are being tortured, raped, or killed."

"We do not need propaganda to feel civic consciousness, and to resist. It is this personal anger and pain, which we all feel, that instantly activates the thirst to act, to resist aggression, to defend our freedom," she added.

Olena has refused to leave Ukraine, during the ongoing attacks and said that she had been honest about the unfolding situation with her children.

If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information