Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Oleh Tatarov, the Deputy head of the President's Office, appointed in August 2020, who had worked in the Interior Ministry at the times of Viktor Yanukovych's cadence, was not involved in violentl dispersal of protests during the 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity.
The head of state made the comment in an interview with HardTalk, as reported by the BBC's Ukrainian service on October 12.
"You know, there were a lot of different people working in law enforcement during Yanukovych's period. They remained at their positions during [former Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko's tenure. There are many such people," he said.
According to Zelensky, among them were professionals as well.
He decried allegations as "just words." That's someone alleging. This particular person dispersed no one. I respect the Maidan, we respect the memory of the dead. I would never – as a patriot and president of Ukraine – I would never appoint someone who cracked down on people at the Maidan," the Ukrainian president said.
Read alsoZelensky explains appointment of former Yanukovych-era officialZelensky is convinced that "this [issue] is beins spun by media owned by Mr Poroshenko."
"Everyone knows that we had a president who is an oligarch. Okay, we're over this now. But he still thinks he's president. He finances and owns various mass media. He also has media he doesn't own. He can't get over the fact that he's not a president anymore. That's all. Everything that's happening is due to this," Zelensky added.
Oleh Tatarov: Background
On August 5, Zelensky appointed Tatarov Deputy Head of his Office.
Tatarov graduated from the National Academy of Internal Affairs and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
In 1999-2014, he served in law enforcement agencies.
Since 2011, he had held the position of deputy head of the Main Investigation Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Since 2014, he had been practicing law as a managing partner of the Tatarov, Farinnik, Holovko Bar Association.
